One Wild Night
by Ultrawoman
Summary: COMPLETE! Fantasy fic (no slayers, no vamps) Buffy has a seemingly perfect princess type life. The house, the money, the friends, the gorgeous boyfriend (Angel), but Buffy is unhappy and desperately bored so she devises a plan to have some fun...
1. High Society

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A/N : I must be crazy since I'm posting two new fics at the same time! (this one and the sequel to 'The Guy Next Door', which is called 'Trouble With Boys') I actually started writing this fic a long time ago, before Spell Bound, before Friends and Lovers, but I got about two chapters done and it just wasn't working. Now I've come back to it, with more of an idea of where I want this to go and how I want to get there, so I'm starting all over again. Reviews are very welcome...

Title : One Wild Night

Author : Ultrawoman

Rating : PG-13

Pairings : Many different pairings, including B/A, B/S, C/X, C/A, W/X and if you've read any of my other fics you should know how this will turn out in the end ;-)

Summary : Fantasy fic (no slayers, no vamps) Elizabeth 'Buffy' Summers has a seemingly perfect princess type life. The house, the money, the friends, the gorgeous boyfriend, Liam 'Angel' O'Connor, but Buffy is unhappy and desperately bored so she devises a plan to have some fun...

Disclaimer : All characters belong to Joss Whedon and not me, however, the idea/storyline is all my own :-)

Chapter 1 - High Society

Sunnydale was a large town, with two sides to it - the upper class side and the lower class side. Many well respected families lived in the more expensive side of town and large houses complete with swimming pools both indoors and out, summer houses, games rooms, stables and more, could be seen throughout the streets. 

One of these houses was home to the O'Connor family. They were as high class as is possible and had more money than most people could spend in a life time. To the other rich residents of Sunnydale, Lord and Lady O'Connor and their son Liam, were practically royalty, to the lower class side of town, which invariably existed, they were the most stuck up snobs for miles around and very disliked for it.

Liam, known to his friends by the nickname Angel, was very handsome and adored by almost every girl in Sunnydale, except the one he was actually dating.

When Angel had first asked out Elizabeth Summers, daughter of the widowed Lady Joyce, Elizabeth had been ecstatic. She was fifteen and Angel was seventeen. Their families had been friends for years and the two had always got along. It was the fond hope of both families, when the children started dating, that their romance would continue and one day result in marriage. The truth was Elizabeth had thought she wanted that too, for a while, but now, just over a year later, she was desperately bored.

Elizabeth was unhappy, despite the fact she appeared to be living a teenage girls fantasy princess dream. She lived in a large house and did not want for anything. She had a mother who loved her and a twin brother, Alexander, who she loved very much. Her boyfriend was the most eligible bachelor in Sunnydale and she did well at school and had many friends. She was loved, respected and envied - and yet she was not content.

"I wish I had your life" she told her best friend, Willow Rosenburg. Willow was the red-headed daughter of the Summer's house keeper and spent much time with Elizabeth when they were children growing up. They still remained best friends forever, despite the protests of Lady Joyce. She did not like her daughter conversing with the 'hired help' at the best of times, but to become such great friends with the staff was intolerable. Thankfully the house was large enough that the two girls could meet and talk fairly easily without anyone ever knowing.

"Why would you want my life, Buffy?" her friend asked, using the special nick-name that only she and Buffy's brother Alexander knew, "I'm poor and ugly and worthless"

"Willow!" Buffy exclaimed, "You are not ugly, you're beautiful"

Willows face was soon red as her hair as Buffy continued.

"Yes, you may have less money than I do, but money isn't happiness and you're a house-keepers daughter and that's respectable enough"

"I guess" the girl shrugged, "But still, would you really trade your money and your friends and your whole life for what I've got?" she asked.

"In a heartbeat" Buffy sighed, "I'm so miserably bored of it all, I want to be free"

"Free?" Willow echoed, not understanding what her friend meant, "Well, you don't live in a cage" 

"I do" the blonde girl frowned, "Not one you can see, but I do live in a cage. I have to behave so perfectly. I'm expected to keep up my grades and not consort with people 'below my station'"

"Like me" Willow said sadly.

"Willow, come on" Buffy put her hand on her friend arm, "They would never stop me being best friends with you, never"

The red-head looked up with a small smile, knowing Buffy meant what she said.

"Sometimes I feel" Buffy began again, "like so much is expected of me. Sometimes I just...I just want to talk with my mouthful and run on the stairs and wear really short skirts and sing at the top of my voice" she got louder as she got more excited about the way she'd love to behave, but she came back down to earth with a bump and a sigh.

"But I can't" she whispered.

"Well, when you're older maybe you can" Willow tried to be positive but Buffy shook her head.

"I don't suppose I'll want to then, and besides if I ever left home it'd be when I get married, most probably to Angel, and I doubt I'd be allowed to be free at his house either"

"Don't you want to marry him?" Willow wondered aloud.

"I don't know" Buffy admitted, "I used to think so, I used to think I was in love with him but now...I mean, he's totally hot and everything but...I don't think that's enough anymore..." She laughed out loud, "If I told Cordy that she'd think I was crazy"

She referred to the girl that everyone thought was Elizabeth's best friend, Cordelia Chase. She was almost as high class as Buffy, the difference between the two girls being that Cordy loved it. She was beautiful and from a rich family, owned all the designer clothes she could get her hands on and dated all the most gorgeous guys around, except for Angel who only had eyes for Elizabeth. Cordelia used her status as her power over people, and not just the opposite sex, she liked to control everybody and she revelled in the fact that she could.

"Miss Chase is..." Willow searched for a polite word, "different" she settled on, "but really I guess you can't expect her to be normal with all the money and good looks she has. It's going to make you different"

"But she is normal" Buffy laughed, humourlessly, "She's normal for 'our' people" she air-quoted, "I'm the one whose different, or at least I want to be...I just don't know how..."

"Willow!" the loud voice of an irate woman bellowed down the back corridor of the Summers house. It was Sheila Rosenburg, housekeeper and Willow's mother, clearly angry that she could not find her daughter.

"Oh goddess" the girl gasped, jumping up from the window sill where she and Buffy sat, "I have to go. If mother finds me talking to you she won't like it"

"Parents" Elizabeth sighed, "Who'd have them?"

Willow hurried from the room with a final smile to her friend as she went and Buffy waited a few minutes before creeping out of the store room and back to the main part of the house where she belonged. 

Belonged. 

It was a strange word, because Elizabeth didn't really feel like she belonged there at all. Where she did belong? She really wasn't sure, but this life was not what she wanted anymore. The point was that this life wasn't life at all, it wasn't living, not really. Elizabeth wanted to go out into the real world, without the constraints, not worrying about her fragile reputation and the damage she might do to her character. She wanted to go wild and be free, just once to see what her life could be.

'I'll find a way' she promised herself, as she made her way up the main staircase. She met her brother coming down the other way.

"Hey, Buffy" Xander smiled, "Been hiding out in the servants quarters with Willow again?" he asked in a whisper.

"How did you know that?" she wondered aloud.

"Mrs Rosenburg couldn't find her daughter, I guessed that was because you were with her, hiding in some corner having a girls gossip meeting"

"I wish the hiding wasn't necessary" Buffy sighed, "She's my best friend, Xan, and I'm supposed to feel bad for liking her"

"Comes with the lifestyle, Buff" Xander sympathised, putting a hand on her shoulder, "Along with the money, the house, the life, there are the prices and the consequences. The bad has to balance the good"

"Right now there seems like an awful lot of bad and not enough good for there to be a real balance" she complained.

Xander tried not to chuckle at his sisters pouty expression.

"Well, I have one good thing planned for tonight so I'm gonna have to love you and leave you, sis" he smiled, kissing her cheek and continuing down the stairs. Buffy turned and called to him.

"Another date with Cordy?" she asked, her brother and supposed best friend had been dating for a little over six months now and things seemed to be going well. Buffy wasn't sure whether she approved or not so she just left the subject well alone usually.

"Yeah" Xander nodded, "Don't wait up"

"What else is there to do?" Buffy muttered to herself as she went up to he room and flopped down on her bed, defeated.

Her eyes followed the patterns on the ceiling, blue and white painted like clouds in a sunny sky. It was what she'd wanted before, but now she hated it - like everything else in her life. She'd asked for something and she'd been given it, since the day she was born, and she was sick of it all. 

Elizabeth wanted to be someone else, do something else, feel something different, something exciting. She didn't want to play the princess anymore, the little miss perfect of Sunnydale. She no longer wanted to wear these clothes, these long skirts and pristine blouses, these sensible shoes and subtle make-up. She wanted to go wild, completely and absolutely. 

'Just one night would be enough' she mused, 'Just one night'

She decided in that moment that she would have her one night, her one wild night, if it was the last thing she ever did...

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To Be Continued...


	2. Stage One

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A/N : This is a majorly short chapter, for which I apologise profusely. My God, this writing two stories at once thing is harder than I remember, but I'll deal. Lots of nice reviews encourages me to write as much as possible. Thanks for all the reviews of chapter 1, I can't believe so many people like this after just one chapter! Thanx to; Dark Raven, faith95, SpIkEs AnGeL, RoboShiflo, CRAIGnDILLONsCHICK, pipper-noiter, Summer1, SweetBitter, tinkerbell42, ms trick, Ahna the bloody, SouthernRain, RougeCrayon - you guys are the best and make me smile with your kind words. Here's chapter 2...

(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)

Chapter 2 - Stage One

"Elizabeth?" a voice asked, accompanied by a tapping on the girls bedroom door, "Are you in there?"

"Yes, mother" Buffy replied, aggravated by the interruption of her thoughts. She'd been so wrapped up in her plans she had almost forgotten where she was.

Lady Joyce soon appeared in her daughters doorway, clearly not amused by the position she found her daughter in, slumped across her bed staring at the ceiling as if it held the answers to all world difficulties.

"Elizabeth, for heavens sake, what are you doing?" Buffy's mother snapped and the girl heaved herself up to a sitting position.

"Nothing" she said simply, going from sitting to standing in one elegant movement as she had been taught.

"Well, do you think you could interrupt your doing nothing long enough to come do some late shopping with me?" Lady Joyce asked sarcastically, "It really is time we got you some new clothes and I need a few things myself"

"New clothes?" Buffy brightened a little at the prospect of clothes shopping, one small advantage to having money to burn was shopping, but the downside of course, because there always was one, was that she could never buy the clothes she really wanted. As a child she had been content to pick out dresses and shoes fit for princesses, basically larger versions of those clothes you would dress fine dolls in, but these days, Buffy just wanted to be a teenage girl. She wanted denim and leather, bright colours and plunging necklines, high hems and high heels, and those were things that all the money in the world couldn't buy for her, because it just wasn't allowed. Her mother wouldn't allow it and 'society', whatever that meant, would not allow it.

High class girls were not allowed to be simple teenagers, or even people. They had to be prim and proper, and as far as Buffy could see, old before their time. Her clothes resembled her mothers these days and she resented it. Just one more thing on a very long list of things and people that she resented.

"Mom, do you think I could have some different clothes?" she dared to ask, allowing herself just a little false hope, as the two women walked from the youngers room and down the stairs.

"Different?" her mother echoed as if the word were foreign to her.

"Yeah, y'know like other girls wear?" Buffy tried to explain.

"Is there something in particular that you wanted?" her mother asked, "Something Cordelia or Harmony has that you would like?"

Buffy sighed deeply, her mother was never going to understand. 

"No, it doesn't matter" she relented, it wasn't worth it, when he knew was almost certain of what her mothers reaction would be anyway, if she ever did get her to understand.

A department store, one of the biggest in the huge town they called Sunnydale, and Elizabeth Summers was drowning amongst floral prints and sensible shoes. Everything her mother suggested she might like to try on and eventually buy, Buffy was disgusted by it. She politely declined the offer of extra money to by those 'adorable' shoes and that 'gorgeous' blouse. Buffy hated it, hated all of it. 

Across from where she stood, next to her mother who was rifling through racks of skirts of her own liking, Buffy could see a girl of about her age. She looked a little worse for wear compared to Miss Summers, not half so well turned out, but Buffy noticed the wide smile on her face as the girl pulled a pair of blue jeans from the rack. She watched as the girl reached in her pocket and pulled out a handful of crumpled bills. The nameless female counted the money, checked the price tag on the denim article in her hands and made her way to the cash register to pay for it. A simple thing, saving money to buy something you really wanted, but it was something Buffy would never do. 

Nothing Buffy owned belonged to her, it belonged to her mother for it was her mother who paid for everything. There was no allowance as such for the Summers children, they were just bought whatever they wanted when they asked for it, except Buffy couldn't have what she really wanted at all.

She wanted those jeans, not because she particularly liked them, she really couldn't tell what they looked like from where she was but she wanted them, because the other girl had them and because she wanted to be that other girl, any of the other girls in the store, over there on the other side, the side where money was tougher to come by but when you had it, it was yours and you could buy what you really wanted with it.

Buffy was suddenly aware that her mother was speaking to her.

"...so, I'm going to go and try these on and I'll be back in a moment..."

"Yeah, okay" the girl nodded to her mother as she disappeared.

Alone amongst rails of clothes like those that she wore, those that defined her as all she wanted to escape from. Slowly she ventured out, across that invisible line, through the non-physical barrier to the other side of the store where real clothes waited, real clothes that real people wore. Buffy was surrounded by low cut, brightly coloured tops, deliberately faded jeans and short leather skirts. Every colour of the rainbow, every kind of fabric that her mother deemed unsuitable and common and that Buffy craved to wear.

How long would her mother be in the changing rooms? Buffy wasn't sure, but judging by the sheer mountain of clothing she'd take in with her it would probably be a while. A smile spread across the girls face as she had a thought, a pleasing thought, a thought that led to an action that would be christened stage one in her plans for her one wild night.

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To Be Continued...


	3. Stage Two

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A/N : Don't have much time for a note this morning but I wanted to update as quick as I could since this story seems to be pretty popular. I wanna say thanx to all those who reviewed; twisty-treat, spike wuvs buffy, ms trick, SouthernRain, Summer1, RoboShiflo, SpIkEs AnGeL, Rachel, tinkerbell42 - you guys rock! Here's the next chapter...

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(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)

Chapter 3 - Stage Two

Back from their extensive shopping trip, Lady Joyce and her daughter Elizabeth climbed out of the chauffeur driven car, as staff rushed to take their purchases from them. There was one bag however that Buffy did not allow them to take. Instead she forced it under her coat and hurried inside the house, not waiting for her mother or anyone else. Just inside the doors she was grateful to spot the girl she needed.

"Wills, thank God" she gasped, speedily taking the bag from under her coat and thrusting into Willow's hands.

"This can't get in with the other shopping" Buffy hissed, "You have to keep it for me"

"What is the big deal about this bag?" the red-head spoke at a normal volume and Buffy shushed her.

"Not the bag, the contents Wills" she whispered, looking back over her shoulder "I need you to hide it for me, anywhere, just make sure it's somewhere where no-one will find it" she just needed that bag to be gone before her mother came in and saw it.

"Do I get to see what's inside or could you at least give me a clue?" Willow asked, confused by her friend actions and words.

"Not right now, but later, I promise" Buffy nodded, backing away towards the door and her mother came in.

"Elizabeth what were you doing talking to that Rosenburg girl?" Lady Joyce looked annoyed and Buffy thought fast.

"I was just telling her not to loiter in the hall, mother" she smiled, "I know you don't like the staff hanging around in the main part of the house" she smiled as innocently as she could and it seemed to work.

"Thankyou Elizabeth" her mother smiled, stifling a yawn, "I think I'm going to go up to my room now"

"Me too" Buffy nodded, "It's been a long day"

The Summers women ascended the large staircase and went to their respective rooms, only one of them actually planning to stay there of course. Buffy had plans that were far more important than sleeping, she needed to see Willow.

'The wonder that is the internal phone system' Buffy thought to herself, 'maybe there are perks to this house'. She picked up the receiver and dialled down to the staff quarters and directly through to Willows room.

"Hey Wills, it's Buffy" the blonde whispered into the receiver.

"Hey" the red-head greeted in kind "You gonna tell me about the mystery bag now?"

"Yes, soon" Buffy promised "Are you alone in your room?"

"Who else would be here?" Willow laughed lightly, but somewhat sadly too, Buffy didn't appear to notice.

"Okay, I'm coming down. Wherever you hid the bag, go get it now please" she said quickly, before hanging up and creeping out of her bedroom and down to the staff quarters.

With a light tap on the door, Buffy entered the room of her best friend and found said friend seated cross-legged on her bed, the bag clasped tightly in her hands as if it were made of gold.

"Where were you keeping it?" the blonde asked, coming to sit opposite Willow, also with her legs crossed.

"Under my bed" she admitted, "I couldn't think of anywhere else"

"Won't your Mom find it?" Buffy said with concern, but her friend just shook her head.

"She never bothers to come in here, she just stands by the door to see if it's tidy, I have to clean up and change the bed clothes myself so no-one will ever find it...whatever it is?"

"Oh right" Buffy shook her head, realising she still hadn't explained what the bag was for or her master plan. She took the bag from her friends hands and pulled out the contents, explaining as she did so.

"This is our secret Will, and I know you'll keep it cos I trust you completely...I decided if I had to live my life the way I do I wanted to have just one night, one wild night, where I can be free"

Willow gasped and smiled at the same time, excited by her friends plan but also slightly shocked. Exactly what did a wild night contain? Her eyes went wide as she studied the clothes that had spilled from Buffy's precious bag.

"You're actually gonna wear these?" she gaped.

Buffy nodded and smiled wide.

"Yes, for one night I'm gonna be a normal girl"

"This is normal?" Willow asked, shocked by the length, or lack thereof, the black leather skirt in her hands. Without waiting for an answer to her question she continued, "How did you manage to get these?"

"When Mom was trying on clothes" Buffy explained, "I went over to 'the other side'" she declared dramatically with a giggle at the end, causing her friend to laugh too, "I managed to get the skirt and a couple of tops over to the counter and paid for before she came out, but there's more stuff that I need"

"More?" Willow was astounded by all that her friend was telling her.

"Oh yeah" Buffy declared, "You've seen the other girls Will, the ones from the other side of town. I need the boots, the jewellery, the make-up..."

"Buffy, you're gonna look like..." Willow searched for the least offensive term.

"A real woman" Buffy interrupted, "And not some carbon copy, perfect princess, younger version of my Mom"

"I know you just want to...rebel" the red-head sighed, "but do you really think this is good idea? Lying to your Mom and buying this stuff and, I mean, you really don't know much about the 'wild' side of town"

"Oh come on, Will" Buffy whined, "You have to be on my side, I'm gonna need your help if I'm gonna pull this off"

The young Summers girl knew she was putting her best friend in an awkward position but she wanted her freedom so much, just once, and there was no way she could do it without a little conspiritual help from Willow.

The red-head sighed. Half of her wanted to help and see Buffy be happy, another half knew it was wrong, 'and a third half wants to play this game too and go wild for a night' she thought before almost laughing out loud at her own stupidity 'too many halves!'

"I'll help you Buffy" she smiled, "Just so long as you're careful"

"I will be Will, I promise" Buffy swore her oath with a dramatic hand over her heart, "But right now I have to go get some sleep. Tomorrow's Saturday and I have to convince my Mom I need to go shopping again without her wanting to come along...that's not gonna be easy" she sighed as she stood up and made for the door.

"I'll keep these safe" Willow promised, stuffing the skirt and two silky, low cut tops back in the bag"

"Thanks Will, I don't know what I'd do without you" her blonde friend grinned before slipping out of the door.

The next day, after much persuasion, Joyce gave in and let Buffy go shopping without her, sending one of the house maids with her for help, company and as a chaperone of sorts. That gave Buffy a problem, how did she lose the maid long enough to buy what she needed?

"Susan" the girl turned to her companion, "Could you wait here for me, I have to use the bathroom" she smiled, sweetly before disappearing through the racks of clothes covering the shop floor and toward the ladies facilities at the back of the store. But Buffy never actually went as far as the toilets, she doubled back and went out of the shop doors, heading across the street to a shoe shop she'd spotted before. After a pair of black leather knee length boots had been purchased, Buffy took a chance and headed to the store next door to get the make-up she wanted - bright coloured nail polishes, much louder lipstick and darker eye make-up than Lady Joyce would ever allow and a few more bits and pieces. By now Buffy knew Susan would be worrying and looking around for her, but it didn't matter she had excuses planned. 

Hurrying to the chauffeur driven car, parked just a little way down the road, Buffy got the drivers attention.

"Hey, I left...something...in the back" she smiled, innocently, "So, I'm just gonna get it"

The driver smiled back at her, buying her story completely and not noticing the bag of products she'd bought that rested at her feet.

"Very good, ma'am" he nodded as she headed into the back of the car, shoving her bag containing her new boots and make-up under one of the seats. She would make sure when they rode home that she would sit where her goods were hidden so Susan would not find them.

Quickly, as soon as the items were hidden, Buffy headed back into the store and found Susan.

"Miss Elizabeth" the maid gasped, "Where on earth have you been?"

"Sorry Susan, I really don't feel so well, I honestly thought I was gonna..." she faked throwing up to get her point across and Susan frowned.

"But you weren't in the bathroom when I checked"

"I went outside" Buffy answered immediately, "I needed some air and then I remembered I had some indigestion tablets in the car so I went to get them, but I still feel dreadful so I think we should head home"

"Oh of course, Miss Elizabeth, if you're that unwell" the maid sympathised as Buffy feigned pain in her stomach and general faintness. She shocked herself at just how well she was able to lie. She almost convinced herself of her sickness! She had had no real practice at deceit but it seemed to be a skill that came naturally to her. 'That'll be useful' Buffy told herself as she climbed into the car, seating herself over the place where her new possessions were securely hidden.

Once the car arrived back at the house, Buffy knew Willow would be waiting as that was the plan. Susan got out of the car and offered the young girl assistance but she waved the maid away and asked her to go inside and get her a glass of water and she would come in in her own time. The maid did as she was told, as always, and Buffy hurried the packages out of the car and her best friend took them away to the hiding place.

Buffy tried to look as ill as possible as she went into the house, but it took much effort to hide the smile that wanted to appear on her face - stage two was complete.

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To Be Continued...


	4. A Tangled Web

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A/N : Hey! I said I'd update this a couple of days after 'Trouble With Boys' and 'Oh Brother!' and I have kept that promise, but only just! Thanx to everyone who reviewed chapter 3; RoboShiflo, SpIkEs AnGeL, SouthernRain, ms trick, Jenny, tinkerbell42, SweetBitter - you guys are the best and you made me smile. Those who asked questions, if I answer it'll spoil the surprise, so you'll just have to wait and see! This is the final 'preparation' chapter, next will be the actual 'wild' night! :-)

(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)

Chapter 4 - A Tangled Web

Today was the day. Buffy had it all planned out. With a few sneaky shopping trips and help from Willow, the daughter of Lady Joyce soon had all the clothes and things she needed for her highly secret wild night out. She'd settled on Friday since she was usually out on Friday's anyway, either at Cordy's or with Angel or something, so her mother wouldn't suspect when she told her little white lie and went out.

'Just one more little lie' Elizabeth Summers told herself, as she studied her high class self in the mirror, trying to picture how great she was going to look that night in comparison to the boring that literally emanated off her as she looked now. She was wrong though, about only having to tell one more lie...

The doorbell rang just as Buffy was coming down the main staircase. The maid opened the door to reveal Angel on the other side.

"Hey sweetheart" the young man smiled as Buffy came forward and told the maid to go away in the politest way she could.

"Angel, hi" she said somewhere nervously, making no move to invite him into the house.

"Are you okay?" he asked noticing her strange behaviour even in those first few seconds of seeing her. Something was obviously on her mind.

"Yeah, I'm great" she laughed almost madly, "I'm fine, Finey McFine"

"Okay..." Angel stretched out the word before deciding to let it go and say what he'd come to say "so, are we going out tonight?"

"Oh, well" Buffy floundered "actually, tonight...I have to study" she said suddenly and there was second of disappointment on Angel's face before he smiled again.

"Oh well, I can help with that..." he started only to be interrupted by his girlfriend.

"No, no, no" she cut him off frantically thinking of a way out "thanks, but...I'm going over to Cordy's" she said quickly "we're kind of having a study-slumber party type of thing"

For a breath-holding moment, Buffy thought he might guess she was lying. She was relieved when he sighed a little and relented.

"Oh, okay"

Buffy let out her breath, thank God she'd got out of that.

"What are you doing now?" Angel asked, leaning against the door frame and Buffy inwardly cringed. If she went out with him now she couldn't use the excuse of going out with him later, plus she needed to talk to Willow and get ready yet...

"Right now? Er..." she frantically tried to think, and then she spotted her brother coming down the stairs.

"Xander!" she yelled, beckoning him to come to her.

"What?" the brunette boy asked his crazy sister as he wondered over to the door, nodding slightly at Angel to acknowledge his presence.

"Xander needs my help with...something" Buffy told her boyfriend "right, Xan?" she looked upon her brother with pleading eyes, but he didn't notice.

"Sis, are you okay?" he asked, wondering why she wanted to get out of a date with the guy she was supposedly in love with.

"Of course, I was just telling Angel that I can't go out with him right now because you need me to be here" Buffy made a second attempt and thankfully Xander understood - undoubtedly a twin thing, since it would usually take much more than two attempts for Xander to understand such subtle hints

"Oh, yeah, right" he nodded suddenly "sorry Angel" he glanced at the confused man in the doorway.

"No big" the taller man shrugged "I guess I'll see you tomorrow?" he asked Buffy.

"Sure, tomorrow, great" she smiled big and nodded, pleased to have gotten out of her mess "Bye" she added, practically closing the door in his face, turning to lean her back on it, closing her eyes and breathing a huge sigh of relief.

"What was that all about?" a voice asked and she opened her eyes, realising her brother as still standing there.

"Nothing" she snapped "I just really didn't feel like going out with him right now" she started to walk quickly away.

"You sure you're feeling okay Buffy?" Xander called after.

"Me?" she turned and backed down the corridor, hand over her chest "Sure, I'm fine" she smiled, her heart racing beneath her fingers. 'That was too close' she thought as she made her way to meet Willow, but it didn't matter, everything was sorted out now and tonight was her night, what else could go wrong?

"And Angel bought it?" Willow was stunned, first that her friend could lie the way she had and second that she could fool her boyfriend who seemed to know her so 

well.

"Yeah, totally" Buffy smiled with confidence, despite the fact she'd been panicking when the actual lying was taking place. She opened her mouth to continue speaking when her cellphone rang into life.

Checking the screen she noticed it was Cordelia and she answered with a sigh.

"Hi Cordy, did you want something?"

"Hey Lizzy" the girl used Buffy's more common nickname "Well, me and the girls are having a slumber party type thing at my house tonight and you just have to come?"

Buffy sighed inwardly and closed her eyes as she did something she was getting a lot of practice in lately - she lied.

"I'm sorry, I can't, tons of homework" she said quickly and calmly as possible. She opened an eye to glance at Willow who was somewhat shocked by the further telling of non-truths by her always honest best friend.

"It's Friday night Lizzy, let it go" Cordelia complained "Besides you can spend the whole weekend doing homework if you really have to"

"I really should do it today Cordy" Buffy protested "I really do have a lot to get through"

"Oh, fine, your loss" the brunette huffed, hanging up without so much as a goodbye.

"I doubt it" Buffy smiled as she hung up too, and went back to her more important plans with Willow. Nothing was going to stop her going out tonight and having the time of her life.

They sent a couple of hours going over 'the plan' before Willow realised the time and hurried to find her mother and help with the housework.

"We'll meet in my room at five" Buffy reminded the red-head, you can help me get ready and then it's showtime"

Willow let out a nervous giggle as she left the store room and Buffy, as was customary, waited five minutes and then left herself, heading for her room to dream about the fun she would have in just a few hours time. She met her mother on the landing.

"Honey, are you seeing Liam tonight?" Lady Joyce asked her daughter.

"Er, yes Mom" Buffy's smile covered the lie easily "why'd you ask?" she checked, if her mother suspected anything...

"No reason" the older woman shrugged and smiled "just curious about what my little girl is up to" she smiled more, putting a hand to her daughters cheek.

"I'm not a little girl anymore Mom" Buffy snapped, pulling away a little, smelling the usual alcohol on her mothers breath "and really, I'm not up to anything" she added, backing up towards her room.

"Oh sweetheart" Joyce laughed softly, "you'll always be my little girl"

Buffy winced as her mother disappeared down the corridor. The girl sighed as Xander walked up beside her.

"Did you know Mom's been at the vodka again?" she said, turning to him.

"Yeah, I know" he nodded, sadly, before changing the subject completely "hey, did I just hear you say you were seeing Angel tonight? I thought you didn't want to see him today?"

Buffy thought fast and replied, lamely;

"Oh, well, I changed my mind"

Xander looked at her for a second, as if he were checking her expression for some give-away that she were lying. Finding none, he just shrugged.

"It's allowed, I guess" he started to follow down the corridor where his Mom had gone before "Good job I'm staying in tonight if Mom's getting off her head" he called back over his shoulder.

"Yeah" Buffy agreed "Well, I'll see you later"

Xander paused by the door and turned back to glance at his twin sister as she reached for the handle of her bedroom door too.

"Have fun tonight Buff"

"Don't worry, I will" she smiled, 'if only he knew' she thought.

The young man took a deep breath before going into the room where his mother sat, as predicted, in her favourite chair with a glass in her hand.

"Another date with the O'Connor's boy" Joyce smiled, sipping at her drink as her son came into the room "looks like things could really go far with those two"

"What do you mean Mom?" Xander asked, sitting down opposite the woman as she leant back her head and closed her eyes.

"They've been dating on and off for over a year, Alexander" she said slowly "They would make a very good marriage there, bringing our two families closer together"

"You wouldn't want them to get married if they weren't in love though, would you?" the young man checked, he was seriously starting to wonder about his twin sisters relationship with Liam 'Angel' O'Connor.

"Of course they're in love, Alexander!" his mother snapped, her eyes flying open and her precious vodka almost leaving it's glass as her arm jolted "What young girl wouldn't be in love with Liam O'Connor?" she smiled "What young man wouldn't love my daughter?" she added, re-closing her eyes and relaxing again.

"You're right Mom, of course" Xander nodded, pointlessly, but he wasn't convinced.

Buffy waited in her room for just over ten minutes before Willow arrived, as planned, with the smuggled items that the blonde girl needed for her night out.

"Oh, I'm never going to be able to keep up with all these lies, Wills" the girl complained as she removed her hated clothes and the red-head unpacked the bags.

"How many did you tell?" Willow asked with a frown.

"Too many!" her friend exclaimed, before counting each one off on her fingers "Angel thinks I'm going to Cordy's, Cordy thinks I'm staying home to study, and my Mom and Xander think I'm going out with Angel!"

"You lied to Xander?" Willow stood up suddenly with a more shocked expression on her face than Buffy had ever seen.

"I had to" the blonde protested, before adding "why does it matter?" even though she knew very well why it mattered so much to her best friend. It was obvious to Buffy that Willow had a crush on Xander, she had for years.

"Well, I don't know" the red-head played with her hands and fidgeted uncomfortably, re-seating herself on the edge of the bed as Buffy fought to remove the blouse she despised so much "I just thought you trusted him, I mean he's your twin brother and..."

"Will, I do trust him" Buffy assured her "but I can't take the risk. I know he wouldn't approve of this"

"Is all this really worth it Buffy?" Willow wondered aloud, although she was pretty certain she already knew the answer to that.

"Oh God, yes" came the expected reply "it has to be" she told the girl in the mirror, before glancing over at the clothes, jewellery and make-up that lay across her bed "Now, help me get ready"

About an hour later...

"Do I look okay?" the blonde asked, now unrecognisable as Miss Elizabeth Summers, daughter of Lady Joyce of Sunnydale, in her short black leather skirt, silky red top with the plunging neckline, knee high boots and her hair and make-up completely different to it's usual state.

"Buffy, you look awesome" Willow grinned as Buffy did the same, taking herself in in the full length mirror.

"I wish you could come with me" she frowned as she turned to her best friend, suddenly nervous and wishing the girl beside her was coming too.

"No, no, no" Willow shook her head and waved her hands in front of her to emphasise the strength of her negative response "Really not my scene"

"Not mine either" Buffy giggled, adjusting her outfit a little "but I have a good feeling about tonight"

"One question" Willow said slowly, almost afraid to ask and ruin her friends fun "if your family thinks you're going out with Angel how are you gonna get out in those clothes? And without him coming to pick you up?"

"Simple" Buffy smiled "long coat covers the clothes, Mum won't notice the hair since she was already half cut an hour ago, and I'll say we're meeting at the restaurant because Angel is running late" she explained "I can take the car and the driver can drop me outside of Luigi's and I'll send him home and then it's only a little way to the night clubs from there" she grinned in triumph and Willow couldn't help but smile too.

"You have this all planned, don't you?" she giggled.

"Yep" Buffy nodded "every last detail...more or less" she picked up her bag, hugged her best friend and headed for the door.

"Have fun Buffy" the red-head called behind her.

"Oh, I intend to" the blonde replied, closing the door behind her and speaking softly to herself as she made her way toward the stairs "Just this once, I plan to have the time of my life"

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To Be Continued...


	5. Beautiful Stranger

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A/N: Greetings gentle viewers...I mean readers, allowing me to show you the world of Buffy where she is not the Slayer of the vampyres! lol. Sorry, I've been eating liquor chocolates, they make me weird...anyway, I have a few days off work this week so I'm gonna try to get lots of fic done. I want to thank everyone who reviewed chapter four of this fic; RoboShiflo, SouthernRain, SpIkEs AnGeL, spikewuvsbuffy, CeriCherry, tinkerbell42, Summer1, DiStUrBeD-GuRl*57, Jenny - you guys have been super patient with this fic, well, most of you have, but the wait is over, we have finally arrived at the 'wild night' part of the fic. Everyone seems to assume that Buffy will meet Spike on this night of hers, which leads me to believe that maybe you people know me and my fics just a little too well ;-) Hope you enjoy reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it, and please review! (Wow, huge author's note, or what? lol.....I was supposed to update this fic next, right?)

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(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)

Chapter 5 - Beautiful Stranger

The walk, as predicted, from Luigis - the restaurant Buffy had the driver drop her outside of, to the Bronze - the notorious Sunnydale nightclub, was fairly short. Buffy could not only hear but feel the music and the sheer energy from the place she was headed to, way before she reached the doors.

Now at the entrance, Buffy took a deep breath, adjusted the little clothing she wore and tried to remember that walk her mother and taught her was inappropriate and obscene for ladies of substance. Tonight, it was to be used, as if it were part of her. She was to be everything she really wasn't, just for one night, and starting right now.

The view that met her eyes was a shock to her. The dance floor was covered with writhing bodies, pulsating to the rhythm that came from a band on stage. There was a banner telling all the name of the music makers was Dingoes Ate My Baby - she'd never heard of them of course, but she liked their sound immediately, it was everything her mother disapproved of, so she automatically loved it.

Strutting her way to the bar, she positioned herself on a stool and immediately felt eyes wandering over her body. It gave her two strange feelings, one of pride over her figure, the other was of a slight cheapness but she tried to block that out and just hoped no-one took advantage of the way she was dressed and the fact that she wasn't used to either her own clothes or the attention she received whilst wearing them.

"Hey there" she heard off to her side and she looked over into the brightest blue eyes she had ever seen in her life. She felt she'd go blind if she didn't look away, but shifting her gaze only caused more pain on her retinas as above these jewels of eyes was bright blond hair.

"Hi" she said quickly bringing her eyes down from this guys gorgeous eyes and face to, well, a gorgeous body, all in black leather and making her heart beat faster than she knew it was possible for blood to pump.

"What do they call you, pet?" this god of a man asked, sitting down on the stool beside her, not so much a smile as a smirk on his lips.

"Depends on who 'they' are?" she said quickly as she considered her answer "You can call me Buffy" she said eventually, gaining a little strength from the fact of knowing this guy wouldn't be talking to her if she wasn't attractive, right?

"Buffy" the stranger echoed "that's pretty"

"And you are?" she asked, her nerves slipping away a little now, for some strange reason she was completely comfortable to sit and talk to this man she'd only just met.

"I'm...bloody thirsty is what I am" he told her "can I get you a drink, Buffy?"

"I meant, what's your name?" the girl protested, causing the smirk to return to his face.

"I'm aware of what you meant, luv. So, about that drink?"

Buffy smiled, he was deliberately avoiding her question she guessed because she'd tried to avoid his.

"I'll have your name first" she said with a grin "then I'll have a drink"

"Okay..." he conceded with a nod "you can call me Spike"

"That's a name?" Buffy asked, confusion on her face.

"S'what I'm known as" Spike shrugged "Now, I don't know about you but I'm dying of thirst here and if you're the inquisitive type I'm gonna need something pretty strong" 

Buffy wasn't sure whether to be insulted or not, but the look on his face told her he was just playing with her "What do you fancy?" he asked, glancing between her and the bar.

"A whole lot of things" she smiled, before realising she was staring at him when she said it and 'oh my God, what did I just say?' ran through her head "but, drink-wise, I'll have whatever you're having" she said quickly looking away as she went a little red.

"You sure about that, luv?" Spike frowned, looking at her more carefully "It's just, you don't look like much of a bourbon drinker"

"It's my favourite actually" Buffy lied. The only alcohol she'd ever tasted was champagne or something similar at parties and then only half a glass, but tonight was all about being different and trying new things...

"Suit yourself" Spike shrugged, turning to the barman "My usual please, Willy, and one for the lady. Make 'em doubles"

"Coming right up, Spike" the older man nodded as he fetched the drinks. As soon as he'd gone, Buffy turned on her stool to face this man beside her.

"Why do they call you Spike?" she wondered aloud.

"Long story" he said with a light laugh "and probably not one you'd appreciate Sweet bit" he leant in closer to her, a look in his eyes that made Buffy shiver, in a good way "Maybe, when we get to now each other better, I might tell you"

"I'll look forward to it" the girl managed to say in a voice not much more than a whisper. 

Whatever moment they may have had was interrupted as two bourbons arrived on the bar in front of them and Spike moved to take one, handing the other to his new friend.

"Cheers" he said, clinking his glass to hers, before downing the contents in one.

"Yeah, cheers" Buffy replied nervously, as the last drop went down Spike's throat. She eyed the liquid in her own glass and then taking a deep breath, followed his example. If the taste was bad, then the burning in her throat was five times worse.

"Eugh!" she exclaimed without thinking, her face contorting. Spike heard her and saw her expression, but he didn't say a word, didn't laugh at her. She didn't belong in this dive and he knew it, but she intrigued him. He wouldn't ask why she was there or who she really was, he was happy just to be sitting next to her, sharing a drink and a laugh, for as many hours as she had to spare him.

Two, maybe three hours passed, full of blissful conversation about nothing much and several large drinks of various spirits. Buffy had never felt so free as she did tonight, in this club with Spike. She felt she could sit there like that for eternity.

However, Spike quickly realised there was only so much alcohol he could consume before a trip to the little boys room became a necessity and he excused himself from the company of his lady friend.

Buffy watched him go, smiling to herself, partly because she'd drunk more alcohol than she'd ever imagined she could hold, but mostly because, of all the ridiculous things, she was pretty sure she was in love.

"Hey what do we have here?"

Her happy thoughts were interrupted by three large and leering men who positioned themselves either side and in front of her, holding her captive on her stool, her back against the bar.

"Please, leave me alone" she said nervously, as she realised escape was impossible.

"Ooh, now that's not very friendly" the man in front of her leered "Me and the boys were just trying to be nice" he told a squirming Buffy "What's your name honey?"

"I'm not your honey" the blonde snapped, desperate to get away "and I said leave me alone"

"Hey I know her" the guy to her left said suddenly pointing right at her "she's that rich woman's daughter...something Summers..."

"Elizabeth Summers?" the third guy guessed "Yeah, I think you're right" 

"Regular little Uptown Girl, huh?" the leader grinned, making Buffy feel sick as he leaned in closer to her "What do you say Lizzy? You want a little action with a Downtown Man?"

"Get away from me" Buffy struggled as the man in front of her leaned in further, but she had nowhere to go, an accomplice of her attacker either side of the stool she was perched on made sure she did not escape.

"You heard the lady" said a voice, cold as ice and strong as steel. The three turned to see who had interrupted their fun and Buffy's eyes followed too, to see her knight in shining armour, or at least in black leather, standing there.

"Lady?" one of the gang scoffed "I don't see a lady?"

Spike got increasingly angry, especially at that comment.

"You're not going to see anything but my fist in your face if you don't step away from the girl" the harsh English accent bringing extra menace to his threats, as his hands formed the aforementioned fists and he readied himself for the imminent fight.

"And if you don't crawl back under your rock, boy" the leader of the group sneered, getting right in Spike's face, "you are going to see a side of me you won't like much"

"I doubt very much you have a side worse than the one I'm already looking at" Spike commented, smirking beneath his extreme anger.

"You little..." the brunette before him spat, "No one messes with the Razors" he announced and both Spike and Buffy noticed the back of one of the gangs jackets at the same time. Jagged writing spelled out the gangs name and underneath was a picture of a shark bearing it's teeth.

"Y'know that's a nice logo" Spike said simply, no menace in his words anymore as he stepped back from the head man of the Razors to examine the back of his friends jacket. "Can I get a closer look at that?" he requested, and thinking the threat was over, 'Razor number 2' let him look.

Now, surely everyone knows you don't turn your back on your enemy, but apparently shark-worshipping gangs weren't too bright. 

In one movement, Spike picked up the stool beside himself, hauled it over his head and brought it down on the back of the ignorant gang member.

In seconds the idiots comrades were flying at Spike, the leader swinging a fist which the bleach blond ducked to avoid, at the same time bringing out his foot to the knock the legs out from under 'number 3'.

The fight was on and Buffy, although petrified, noticed how the grin never left Spike's face, not when he was pummelling them, not even when they were pummelling him. He was loving every second of the bar room brawl and Buffy wondered how anyone could...she wanted to find out. 

As the two still conscious Razors lunged at her new friend again, she raised a bottle of tequila from the bar in her hand and smashed it squarely on the leaders head. He went down just long enough for Spike to handle his friend and then the head sleaze himself. 

Then it was over and Buffy knew why Spike grinned while he fought. It was exhilarating to bring the bad guy down like that! And of course the smile that Spike shot her when he saw what she'd done didn't produce a bad feeling either. Buffy's wild night just got wilder!

"Anybody else?" Spike asked the nearest surrounding people, as three badly beaten shark lovers ambled out of the doors of the Bronze.

When it became clear no-one else wanted to take on Buffy's leather clad hero, he picked up one of the turned over stool and sat down again, gesturing Buffy should do the same. It appeared the barman thought nothing of the disturbance, or maybe he was just too scared to say anything.

"You okay, Buffy" Spike asked her as she sat beside him again.

"I'm fine" she nodded "thanks to you"

"Don't mention it luv" came the reply, with a grin "Any excuse to teach the scum in this town a lesson. Besides, always like a nice spot of violence before bed time" he told her, catching his breath in no time at all and downing his latest double bourbon in one.

Buffy was a little deflated. He'd done it because he loved to fight, not because...

"Oh, I thought..." she mumbled, sinking into her stool, her words trailing away 'How stupid am I?' she asked herself silently, 'to think he actually liked me?'

"What you say, pet?" Spike asked, a slight frown marring his perfect features as he looked at her, tilting his head.

"I thought" she admitted quietly "you just did it for me" the last couple of words were bearly audible.

"Well, maybe I did" he told her, just as quietly, watching a lone droplet of alcohol run down the side of his empty glass, before finally glancing up at the girl before him again. Her hazel eyes caught his crystal blue ones and for a second the feeling was electric...

"Er, can I get you another drink?" he asked suddenly looking away with a shake of his head "Look like you could use one to steady your nerves"

"Yeah, thanks" Buffy nodded, sorry the moment was over but glad at the same time. The effect this guy had on her was somewhat unnerving.

If she thought she was nervous, Buffy had no idea how freaked out Spike really was. He'd met girls, dated girls, made out with girls - a whole lot of girls, but she, Buffy, was so different. He saw her that night, when she walked in that door and he felt something inside him, inside his heart, it just shifted and he knew. Whether tonight was the only time he spent with her or if he ended up seeing every day for the rest of his life, she was special, and he would never forget her, he was sure, because he never had and believed he never would feel like this about anyone ever again.

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To Be Continued...


	6. Cinderella

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A/N : Back at work now so much less writing time, but I am updating this story and Oh Brother today cos I just got the chapters beta'd. Anyway, thanx to everyone who reviewed; DiStUrBeD-GuRl*57 (cool idea, but I have my own, and I hope you like what really happens), SpIkEs AnGeL (keep reading, I hope you like what actually happens), SweetBitter (yeah, Grease 2 was a lame sequel, but I still love it!), RoboShiflo, Rachel, CeriCherry, Daniel Wesley Rydell, SouthernRain, Jenny - you guys are the best, I love all your comments and kind words, you seriously do make me want to update faster! So here's chapter 6...

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(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)

Chapter 6 - Cinderella

Time past quickly at the Bronze as Buffy and Spike talked for hours, their chatter interspersed with dancing, to music that would make Lady Joyce scream, and drinking a few things Buffy had never even heard of, though she didn't admit it.

Both of them knew they could have stayed there forever, happy to be in each others company. They felt so at ease despite the fact they'd met just a few hours before and it was with some reluctance that Buffy made her exit.

"Not that I want to" she told her newest friend "but I should really be going now"

"But it's early" Spike protested as she climbed down from her bar stool onto surprisingly steady feet considering all the alcohol she had consumed.

"Yeah, early in the morning!" she pointed out with a small laugh "Spike, it's almost 1am!" she pointed out, gesturing to a clock that hung behind the bar.

Spike's eyes widenend a little at that, he'd had no idea he'd spent so long with this girl and just talking and such, that was more or less unknown for him.

"But..." he started, wanting her to stay just a little longer, but Buffy knew the further into the morning it got, the more trouble she would be in if she got caught.

"I have to go" she said, somewhat sadly, starting to back away from him, desperate to burn his image on her memory forver. If she was never going to see him again, she had to have the best memory of his face that she could manage.

"Will I see you again?" he called as she got further from him.

She planned to say no, or maybe just maybe, to keep him quiet, knowing it was a lie but needing to get away. She couldn't do this again, it was a one time thing. She would not see Spike again and she knew it...but she wanted to.

Buffy wanted to get to know this guy called Spike. She wanted to know everything about him, wanted to get close to him, to kiss him and...

"Yes" she blurted out, "I don't know when exactly but...I'll be around" she finished as casually as she could manage, before practically running from the club.

Spike watched her go, blonde hair bouncing around her shoulders as she made her hasty exit. He hoped she was telling the truth, that he would see her again, because she was the most incrediable girl he'd ever met in his life.

As this thought crossed his mind, a tear ran down said girls face, knowing she had just lied to this guy and that she really would never see him again. That really hurt, knowing her next night out would be nothing like this one and although Angel was nice enough, he was nothing like Spike.

"Buffy?!"

The girl was surprised to hear her name called to her. Who around here would know her? Besides the only person beside Willow (and now Spike) that called her by this nickname was...

"Xander?!" she gasped as she saw her brother in is open top sports car, gaping at her like she was an alien.

'Oh my God, oh my God, oh my God...' Buffy's head spun with the one same phrase as panic set in. Her brother had just caught her outside a nightclub, dressed like this, at 1am, when he thought she was on a date with Angel.

"Buffy, what the hell...?" he brother began before realising that several of the men, and some of the women, standing around outside the club were looking at his sister in a away he found innappropriate "Get in the car" he ordered and Buffy did as he said, immediately.

Xander pulled the car away with a squeal as the Summers siblings sped out of 'the bad side of town', back towards their house. Once they were out of the more unsavoury half of Sunnydale, Xander slowed down a little and Buffy was glad. The speed of the car after all the excitement and alcohol that were involved in her night out was making her feel nauseous. What also didn't help her feeling ill was the fact that Xander hadn't said anything yet, not a word since she'd got in the car, and his silence was a worrying sign too.

"So" she sighed "you having a nice night?"

"What?!" came her twins immediate repsonse, shocked that she could be so flippant after what it seemed she had done "Buffy, I just found you outside a night club dressed like a hooker, I think I deserve an explanation!" he yelled, well, he raised his voice as much as Xander ever did, and that wasn't much really, still, it was enough to make his sister physically jump in her seat beside him.

"I do not look like a hooker!" Buffy protested "And I don't have to explain myself to you!" she added, folding her arms over her chest and pouting like a child.

"Maybe not" Xander conceded, glancing between his sister and the road "but you might have to explain to Mom"

"No way Xand" she exclaimed "you can't make me tell her, she'd kill me if she knew what I'd done"

"And what exactly have you done?" her brother pressed, hoping it wasn't as bad as it seemed...she hadn't? had she?

With a sigh, Buffy realised she was not going to get out of this one. Xander had to know the truth and with any luck he'd accept it and not tell Lady Joyce anything, because so help her if her mother found out Buffy was a dead girl walking.

With a quick explanation Buffy told her brother about how she'd bought clothes and make-up and planned her night out, telling everyone she was busy so she couldn't see them and then going out for one wild night. She neglected to mention, however, the bar fight and, quite pivotally, Spike.

Xander looked surprised but not completely disgusted by his sisters deception. He did understand to a certain extent why she'd done what she'd done and at least she hadn't got into any trouble.

"So you did this all by yourself" he said what he thought to be true "lied to everyone just to get this wild night of yours?"

"Well" Buffy fidgeted in her seat, barely looking at the young man besid her "Willow knew" she admitted quietly.

"Willow?!" Xander half-yelled, looking at Buffy instead of the road and for a split second losing control, making the car swing violently one way and then the other as he righted his error "You do realise if Mom finds out not only will you be grounded til the end of time, Mrs Rosenburg could get fired and she and Willow would have to leave the house, probably leave Sunnydale, maybe leave the country!" he raved, keeping his focus on the road this time but still managing to make Buffy feel awful.

"Stop exaggerating, Xander" she replied, less than forcefully.

"Me? Exaggerating?" he shook his head in disbelief "I think that outfit of yours is exaggerating everything just fine on it's own!"

Bufffy was going from a little ashamed to embarrassed and just desperate to get out of a fight with her brother. Xander meant the world to her and he was the only person other than Willow that she really trusted.

"Xander, please, try to understand" she begged him to listen "I'm suffocated in that house, in those other clothes, surrounded by supposed friends who I hate and servants I don't want, I hate it Xan, I hate all of it" she told him, desperate for him to understand, tears coming to her eyes again, without her even noticing it herself. Xander softened at the sight of her tears as he glanced between her and the road again.

"But you have me" he tried to comfort her "and Will, and Angel"

"Hmph" came Buffy's reply, just a sound but Xander knew that meant something...

"What was that for?" he wanted to know and Buffy shook her head as she wiped the tears from her cheeks with the back of her hand.

"Nothing..." she sighed "it's just, me and Angel..." she started, before realising she didn't even understand how she felt so how could she explain it to Xander? "I don't know..." she gave in, before having a thought "hey, that reminds me, what are you doing out this time of night anyway?"

"I was just driving and...thinking" her brother said quietly and somewhat sadly Buffy noticed.

"Okay, spill" she ordered, knowing it was just so unlike her brother to be out at one in the morning as it was for her.

With a heavy sigh, Xander explained.

"After you went out, Mom got seriously happy on the hard stuff. The servants put her to bed and I was thinking about hitting the sack myself when I got this phone call"

"Who from?" Buffy urged him to contiue.

"Some girl, I think she was drunk, said her name was...I dunno, Aura?"

"Ugh, her" his sister said with some disgust "Some friend of Cordys...why was she calling you?"

"She said" Xander paused to swallow hard "she said Cordy was cheating on me"

"What?!" Buffy gaped "No, Cordy would never...well..." she changed her mind half way realising that actually it would not be totally unthinkable that her supposed best friend would cheat on her brother.

"You're not sure, I'm not sure" Xander said sadly "I mean I should trust her, I know I should but..."

"But you don't" Buffy finished for him "and that doesn't make you a bad person, Xander" she assured him.

"No, maybe not" he sighed yet again as the pair got closer to home "but I think the fact that I don't really care does make me a bad guy" he laughed without humour as he said it and Buffy had to admit she was surprised.

"You don't care about Cordelia?" she realised "Wow, didn't see that coming" Cordelia not really caring about Xander was believable but him not wanting her so much anymore, that was just weird.

"Me either" Xander admitted, he used to think he and Cordy were for the long haul, but now... "It should hurt right?" he asked his sister, unsure of anything right now "I mean, your girlfriend kissing on another guy, finding that out should tear you apart"

"I guess" Buffy answered half heartedly. Her mind wandered to Angel as the subject of cheating on your partner had come up. She hadn't really cheated on him, she hadn't done anything with Spike...it had got close and she had wanted to, but she hadn't so that was okay. It didn't matter though, she still felt bad about it. 'But I'm never going to see Spike again' she told herself, and that only made her feel worse.

"We're home" she vaguely heard her brother say.

"Yeah, we are" Buffy sighed in reply. Her one wild night was over, and life would go back to normal, but with all that had happened, all the lies and meeting Spike and the thing with Xander and Cordelia - could things ever really go completely back to normal?

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To Be Continued...


	7. The Morning After

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A/N : Finally got around to this fic again, I tell you, it's not so easy writing three fics at once! I know, I know, it was my choice, but I never realised how much work it was gonna be! Still, your kind reviews make it all worthwhile, so thanx to those who reviewed chapter 6; SouthernRain, CeriCherry, SweetBitter, tinkerbell42 - you made me smile :-) Not so much with the Spike or the Spuffy this chapter, but have faith cos next chapter is all planned out and I think you're gonna like it a whole lot ;-) Also, quick note to SpIkEs AnGeL - I've updated this fic so you owe me Spike for the night! Hope you all like this chapter - please review!

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(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)

Chapter 7 - The Morning After

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It was the morning after the night before, and Buffy didn't feel at all how she expected to. Where was the hangover she was told everyone got after a wild night? Where was the tiredness from lack of sleep and the wishing she were dead from over consumption of alcohol and memories of stupid things she'd said or done? She had none of that, but she had a few other things she hadn't been expecting.

Feelings, and strong ones, that she'd never felt before, but was feeling right now as she lay in her bed and thought of Spike. It wasn't just that he was gorgeous, although it helped a great deal, it was also the way he spoke, the way he acted, the way he treated her and...there was something else that Buffy didn't have a word for, a quality or an essence that just made him special.

Just a few hours in his company and Buffy knew she liked him, and too much, considering the fact she would never see him again. She'd told him she would but known it was a lie as soon as the words spilled from her mouth. One night out like that was risky enough, she was not going to do it again, but God how she wanted to!

It wasn't just about the clothes or the drinking or the thumping music, it was the freedom, the glorious feeling of knowing that you weren't being judged, your reputation was not being tainted and the night was yours. No-one knew who she was, except for those couple of drunk gang members and Buffy was pretty sure they wouldn't remember much in the morning, and she'd revelled in the fact she could be whoever she wanted to be.

When she was at the Bronze, drinking and talking with Spike, helping to beat the crap out of the low lifes of Sunnydale, she wasn't Elizabeth Summers, she wasn't daughter of Lady Joyce, or possible future life partner of the youngest Mr O'Connor, she was just Buffy, plain and simple, and she liked that person much better than the princess-type she was supposed to be.

It had seemed that Spike liked Buffy too, and again guilt crept over her as she remembered how she'd lied to him, more than once in fact. The biggest lie was the 'I'll see you again' lie, but she'd had to tell half truths before that. She couldn't tell him her surname or where she lived or anything, but then he didn't ask and she realised that other than the nickname 'Spike' she had no idea what his name was either, or where he lived or who is family was, and what's more she didn't care!

A knock on her door brought her out of her daydream and she wondered who'd be tapping on her door at, she glanced at the clock, nine fifteen on a Saturday morning.

"Who is it?" she called and the door came open a crack, a red-head peering around and into the room.

"It's me" Willow smiled, "I just thought I'd come say hi and see if you were okay..." she trailed off as she stepped into the room.

"You came because you wanted to know about last night" Buffy guessed with a grin, and her friends shy nod told her she was right.

"Was it wonderful?" the housekeepers daughter was eager to know, and Buffy sighed as she gestured for her friend to come take a seat on the bed with her.

"Will, it was amazing and he was the most amazing thing of all..." she thought dreamily of Spike and her friend frowned a little not knowing who she was speaking of.

"He?" she asked with a questioning look and Buffy blushed as she realised she had to explain it all to her best friend.

"There was this guy, I don't even know his real name, but he said to call him Spike, Will, he's so gorgeous"

From then Willow wanted to know every detail of Buffy's night, including every single thing there was to know about this Spike person. The expression on the red-head's face shifted from surprise at Buffy's drinking, to complete and utter shock at the fighting. A huge smile appeared as Buffy's narrative covered more romantic moments, but a frown was elicited by the final lie...

"But you can't see him again Buffy, can you?" she asked the girl who had since gotten out of bed and put on some of her regular clothes and was now working on her hair.

"I guess not" the blonde shrugged as she forced her hairback into the hairband she held on her wrist, "but I wish I could..." she trailed off.

"Buffy" Willow warned her friend, "this was supposed to be a one time thing"

"I know" came Buffy's immediate reply as she turned to sit on the bed beside her friend again, "and I mean, it's not like I even know this guy properly but I just...I get this feeling when I think about it and even more when I was with him, Will it's just different to anything else I ever felt before"

"But what about Angel?" Willow frowned, as did Buffy when reality hit home and she remembered her boyfriend. Angel was good looking and she'd always thought so, even now she saw it but comparing him to Spike, he was nothing more than a little above average. Angel made her laugh, Spike made her fall of the chair in hysterics. Angel kissed her and it gave her a warm feeling inside, Spike only had to look at her a certain way and it felt like an electric current shot all the way through her body. It came down to the fact that Angel was nice but Spike was nicer, way nicer.

"I like Angel, I do" Buffy told her friend sincerely, "but Spike's just different...in one night of talking and drinking and stuff, he made me feel more special and more alive than all my dates with Angel in the past two years put together.

"Wow" Willow gasped, "He really must be special"

"He is" Buffy grinned, her dreamy thoughts soon interrupted by Willow who wanted to know how the night ended.

"So after you said goodbye to Spike, what happened next?"

"Xander brought me home" Buffy answered, before realising she really should go and see if he was okay, "Cordelia's been cheating on him and he was driving around...I hope he's okay, I should go see"

"He was upset?" Willow asked as her friend got up and made for the door.

"A little" the blonde told her, "he got a call from Aura last night telling him Cordy's been kissing on another guy"

"That's awful" the red-head gasped, not wholly shocked by Miss Chase's behaviour, and a little pleased that the master of the house no longer had a girlfriend. Not that it would do the house-keepers daughter much good, what chance did she stand with such a man as Alexander Summers. Without realising it a small smile came to her lips as she imagined a perfect scene, Xander admitting his true love for her now that his precious Cordelia was out of the picture.

"Willow?" Buffy came back to her friends side, questioning her grin, "You wouldn't happen to be glad that Xander's girlfriend is a cheater, would you?"

"Of course not" Willow snapped, "I don't want him to be all heart broken, not for anything in the world"

"But you wouldn't mind him being single" Buffy grinned as she spoke matter-of-factly, "or possibly dating you?"

Willow had to smile, knowing how right her friend was.

"He'd never date me" she said, somewhat sadly, her smile quickly turning to a sad frown, her eyes staring down at the floor.

"Hey" Buffy crouched in front of her friend and made her look at her, "There is nothing wrong with you Will, you are a great friend and a beautiful girl and my brother could do a whole lot worse" she assured her, "in fact he did, when he started dating Cordy"

"I wish I didn't love him like I do" Willow told her friend, tears appearing in her eyes, "but I can't help it, I just, I love him so much"

Buffy smiled sadly, finally understanding what her best friend was going through. It must be tough to love someone that, realistically, you could probably never hope to have, she had always thought so but up til now she never realised just how awful the feeling was.

Elizabeth had wanted for nothing in her life, except for that little bit of freedom which she had gained the night before, and now she wanted so many things. One in particular, was much the same as Willow. She wanted the love of a man she knew she could probably never have, and even if, by some huge miracle, Spike did care for Buffy, she knew she would never be able to see him again.

In that she counted herself somewhat grateful, at least the temptation was not in front of her everyday, not like for Willow. The poor girl had to see Xander all the time, talk to him, live in the same house as him, work for him in a sense, and he saw her as nothing more than the house keepers daughter and his sister's secret friend. Even if he saw her as more, he'd doubtless keep quiet about it, his mothers reaction would be catastrophic if her son wanted to date a 'servant'.

"What are we gonna do?" Buffy sighed and Willow shook her head that she didn't know, "Both in love with the unsuitable guys" the blonde sighed again and Willow looked up fast.

"You're in love with Spike?" she asked, quite shocked that it could happen so fast.

"I think I must be" Buffy admitted honesty, "Will, I just can't imagine not seeing him again, it's too painful"

"But surely, given time, you can put him out of your head" the red-head offered.

"Could you ever put Xander out of yours?" the blonde countered, "Even if you didn't see him everyday?"

Another shake of Willow's head meant the answer that Buffy already knew, no she couldn't.

Buffy glanced at the clock and, noticing it was past twelve o'clock, told her friend that maybe they should get downstairs, Buffy to find her mother and Xander, Willow to find her own mother and help with the household duties.

The girls promised to find each other later and continue their talk, both wishing that maybe the other could come up with a solution to their problems before they met up again, knowing in their hearts it would be impossible. A high class guy like Xander would never be interested in Willow, and Buffy would never be able to escape to see Spike again, that was the awful truth they both must face...

"Hey Xan" Buffy called as she found her twin in the second living room, "how're you feeling today?"

"Kinda numb" he admitted as she came to sit with him, "You?"

"Little disorientated about life right now" his far from identical twin told him, both of them falling quickly into silence after that.

"Mom still sleeping?" Xander asked eventually.

"I guess" came his sisters response, "she drank a lot last night, right?"

"Half her body weight in vodka" Xander said bitterly, "I swear she wasn't like this before"

"She wasn't" Buffy assured him, "When dad..." she meant to say died but always hated the word, "when we lost dad" she said instead, "It knocked her for a loop"

"Guess that's what love does" Xander nodded, before laughing humourlessly "makes you think..." there was a long pause before he finished his sentence, "I don't feel it Buffy"

His sister frowned as she looked over at him.

"Don't feel what?"

"Love" he told her, not looking at her face but studying the arm of the sofa instead, "I don't think I love Cordelia, I'm starting to wonder if I ever did...it should hurt but, apart from my embarrassment that I didn't notice, it really doesn't...what if I can't love?"

"Xander" Buffy said slowly, her hand on his arm to get his attention, "you love me right?"

"Sure" he nodded immediately, "but that's like sister-love, I'm talking about love-love" he explained quite badly, "I've never...I mean, I don't feel like that about Cordelia or anybody, I don't think..."

"Doesn't mean you can't just cos you don't right now" Buffy told him, she'd always been like the older more sensible member of the twin-ship, Xander being the more childish half, "Believe me, when you do find real love, you'll know" she said wisely.

"Like you have with Angel?" he asked her with a tilt of his head.

"Yeah" she nodded, the look on her face making her answer unconvincing to her brother, but he didn't say anything, not knowing yet what to make of it.

To Be Continued...

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[Coming soon : Trouble With Boys - Chapter 8 - Research, Reactions, and Remorse]


	8. Dangerous Liaisons

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A/N : When I wrote chapter 5, I was really proud and it was my favourite part of the story...now this has taken it's place as my best chapter, in my opinion at least. I'm really hoping you all like this, I'm fairly certain that you will. Big thanx to everyone who reviewed; CeriCherry, SouthernRain, tinkerbell42, SpIkEs AnGeL, DiStUrBeD-GuRl*57, SweetBitter, Moluvsnumber17, Fayen, courntey. You guys are all so nice and it always makes me smiley when I read reviews from you wonderful people :-) Oh, btw, great ideas tinkerbell42, I have my own plan so I won't be stealing your ideas, but they are very good. And Rachel (SpIkEs AnGeL) I guess I should give Spike back to you now, but I don't wanna! lol. Okay, okay I'll hand him over...he was very good for my motivation ;-) Hope you all like this chapter - please review cos I really wanna know what you think!

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(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)

Chapter 8 - Dangerous Liaisons

"Will!" Buffy called from her bedroom door and her friends checked her mother wasn't around before hurrying inside, "I really need to talk to you"

"Has something happened?" the red-head frowned as she sat down on the end of her friends bed. Buffy shook her head in a negative response as she opened up the door to her closet.

"No, nothings happened" she said as she pushed her regular blouses and skirts apart, "but something's going to" she grinned, pulling her 'secret' clothes from the back rail and showing them to her friend.

"You're not" was all the housekeepers daughter could gasp, but Buffy was quite adamant.

"Yes, I am" she nodded, "I'm going out again"

"Buffy, you can't!" Willow protested as loud as she dare, which really wasn't very loud at all, "If you get caught you'd be in so much trouble..."

"That's why you have to cover for me" the blonde interrupted, "I'm counting on you Will"

The red-head stated to feel nauseous then. What Buffy was asking her to do was lie, lie to Lady Joyce and probably Xander, maybe even Cordelia or Angel. The very idea of being so deceitful made her feel awful.

"Buffy, I can't lie to people, I get all nervous and stuttery and sweaty and it's really not of the good, especially when people work out why I'm lying and..." the girl began to ramble madly. Buffy put down her clothes and sat beside her worried friend.

"Willow, I know it's a lot of pressure" she said with understanding, as she looked Willow right in the eye, "but I have to see Spike again. I just know he's the one. I spent one night just talking to him and he's all I can think about"

"And Angel?" her friend asked, making Buffy look away.

"I don't know" she said honestly, eyes fixed on her hands that fidgeted in her lap, "I mean he's good looking and really nice and everything but...it's like everything I feel when I kiss Angel, all that he does to me, I get that from Spike and all he has to do is look at me a certain way, y'know what I mean?"

Willow nodded mutely, having no clue at all about the feelings Buffy talked about. She'd never kissed a boy, never had those magical feelings coursing through her, but she knew what it was like when Xander looked at her sometimes and she figured she understood that part at least. If Buffy liked Spike in the same way she liked Xander, boy was the blonde in trouble.

"What exactly do you need me to do?" the red-head asked warily as Buffy stood up once again and held her clothes against herself in front of the mirror.

"Not much really" she said as she put down one skirt and picked up the other, "just cover my phone for me and keep Xander's nose out of my business"

"Cover your phone?" Willow frowned.

"Well, if Angel or Cordelia calls just tell them I'm with the other one or whatever" Buffy shrugged, "And as for Xander, don't tell him anything"

"But if he asks I have to say something" Willow complained, feeling even worse now.

"Make an excuse then change the subject" Buffy sighed, "Just don't let him try to call me at Cordelia's or wherever you tell him I've gone"

Both girls knew Buffy was asking a lot of her friend. Not only to lie but to lie to Xander?! That was some kind of heinous crime to Willow, but she'd do it. She knew that to go to all this trouble meant Buffy really was in love, and she couldn't deny her a little happiness, she was her best friend after all.

The day past too quickly for Willow and not fast enough for Buffy, one afraid of what might occur tonight, the other looking forward to her freedom once again.

With her secret clothes hidden by the same coat from the night before, Buffy crept from her room and down the stairs, where Willow met her in the foyer.

"Think about this Buffy" the red-head implored in a whisper, "are you sure you wanna do this"

"Crazy as it sounds, Will" Buffy smiled, "I'm more sure of this than I've ever been of anything else"

The two girls hugged each other before the blonde crept out, her brothers car keys in her hand. 'Well, he shouldn't have left them lying around!' she defended herself in her head as she unlocked the vehicle and prayed to God she got to the Bronze in one piece. As a general rule, cars and Buffy were un-mixy things, but how else was she supposed to get where she was going without anyone finding out?

A deep sigh of relief left her lips as she pulled the car up around the corner from the club, the last thing she wanted to do was draw attention. She was trying to fit in as one of the in-crowd and none of them would have convertibles like her brothers. Thankfully both she and the car had neither a bump nor a scrape to show for their journey, and quickly checking her hair and make-up in the rear-view mirror, Buffy climbed from the car and made her way into the Bronze.

Feelings like those from last night hit her again, the rhythm of the music pounding through her body, the atmosphere so energised it made her feel more alive just standing there, then she saw him. Her knees felt like they might buckle inside her skin tight black pants, and the high heeled boots suddenly made walking impossible, despite the fact she'd practised and was coping really well before. Despite the fact she'd left her coat in the car and all that covered the top half of her was a low cut spaghetti strap top, she suddenly felt very hot, especially when the guy she was staring at turned and stared back.

Xander thought it was strange when he went to his sisters room and found she wasn't there. Usually she told him when she was going out and he really needed to talk to someone right now, being alone wasn't doing him any good. 

As he came down the main staircase he saw a familiar red-head disappearing around the corner.

"Willow?" he called, hurrying to catch up to the girl, carrying a pile of sheets, down to the laundry room he assumed.

"Hi" she said nervously as she turned and realised who was behind her, before continuing to walk.

"Did Buffy go somewhere?" Xander asked as he followed her "She's not in her room"

"Er" Willow floundered for a second "I think she went to Miss Chase's house"

"Cordelia's?!" Xander all but yelled, stopping suddenly, and Willow inwardly cursed herself "After what she did?!"

"Oh no, not Cordelia" Willow shook her head, desperately trying to think of another excuse but unable to come up with one she just changed the subject hoping her mothers employers son would not notice "erm, I meant to say...what Cordelia did to you was appalling"

"I guess" Xander shrugged somewhat sadly after a moments silence had passed.

"You guess?" Willow frowned a little, causing the young man to sigh.

"You have a minute?" he asked her "I could use someone to talk to"

Willow shook her head, shuffled her feet, and looked anywhere but at the person she was talking to.

"I'm really not supposed to..." she began, hoisting the pile of sheets higher in her arms and turning to walk away. Xander reached a hand out to arm to stop her leaving him alone.

"I won't tell if you won't" he smiled as she turned back to face him "I could use a friend and Buffy's always telling me what a great listener you are"

With a sigh and a smile, Willow nodded in agreement. As she walked alongside Xander down the hallway, she wondered what was going on, as he congratulated himself on remembering that flattery works everytime.

With a half smile on her lips, Buffy strutted up to the bar in a fashion she hoped was sexy and sat down on the stool beside Spike.

"Hello gorgeous" he greeted her with a smile and suddenly vocabulary was an issue for her. A deep breath and she managed to speak.

"Hi Spike" she smiled back, "You forget my name already?" she asked, a little embarrassed by his calling her 'gorgeous' and wishing he could just use her name before she went red as the top she wore.

"I didn't forget" he smirked, guessing why she'd asked as her cheeks went pink, "Just a bit surprised to see you again so soon, Buffy" he told her, that sexy smirk of his never shifting from his face, as he proved he really did remember. How could he ever forget such a girl? It was taking every bit of control he had not to be reduced to a pathetic schoolboy just at the sight of her.

"I did say I'd come back, didn't I?" she said with a slight frown.

"Yeah, you did" he nodded in response, of course he remembered her saying she'd be back but he hardly dare believe he'd really get to see her again.

"You didn't trust me?" she asked him and he glanced away from, hands playing with the glass on the bar in front of him.

"It's just words luv" he shrugged, finishing off his bourbon and putting the glass back down with a thud, "What does it really mean?"

From the way he'd behaved the day before to now, Buffy couldn't believe she was talking to the same guy. He was so sure of himself one moment and looked so sweet the next. She smiled as he continued to stare at the glass in front of him. Truth was she really didn't know a whole lot about this guy. Could it be he was so insecure and lonely? He had been alone at the bar both nights when she'd come in, but she'd assumed that had been by choice, surely he could have any girl he wanted looking the way he did. His seemingly unsure behaviour gave Buffy more confidence in herself, if he didn't take her words too seriously...

"Actions speak louder, huh?" she asked, and he turned to glance at her then.

"Usually" he agreed, noticing a certain look in her eyes. He barely had time to register what was happening when her lips hit his, softly and just for a moment but it felt like he'd been struck by lightening as electric shot straight through his body.

Spike blinked hard as Buffy pulled away again, going an even darker red as what she'd just done really hit home. Neither was sure whether to look at the other or not, they definitely didn't know what to say, but Spike had to ask...

"What was that for?" he said quietly, eyes fixed on the bar instead of the girl he spoke to, but his gaze shifted to her when she didn't answer. A shrug and a hint of a smile was all he got as a reply, but that was enough.

"Drink?" he offered, picking up his own empty glass and getting the barmans attention. Buffy sighed.

"I thought you'd never ask"

A stranger sight you may never see, the master of the house and the housekeepers daughter, sitting side by side at the top of the steps leading down to the basement, one place they could be sure not to be caught conferring with someone unsuitable.

"So, what did you want to talk about?" Willow asked, glad the light was dim and the man beside her could not see if she blushed at being so close to him.

"Honestly, I'm not even sure..." Xander almost laughed at the absurdity of it "I just... have you ever been in love?" he blurted out, and the colour Willow dreaded spread over her face, she felt the heat of it.

"Er, well,..." she began slowly and was very relieved when Xander interrupted.

"See, I went out with Cordy for months" he explained "and I liked her a lot but..." he trailed off and Willow guessed what he meant.

"You didn't love her?" she guessed, already knowing she was probably correct after what Buffy had told her.

"No, I didn't" he admitted "and it's got me all worried" he frowned glancing between Willow and step beneath their feet "I mean, you read stuff and you watch movies and these people talk about feelings when you find that one special person, y'know?" she nodded and he continued "Well, what if you never find that?"

"What if you do and you're too afraid to do anything about it" she mumbled, putting her hand to her mouth when she realised she'd actually voiced her thoughts right in front of him. Thankfully Xander pretended not to hear her, even though he really had. He'd always wondered about Willow. She was always nice to him, but then she was nice to everybody, there was no way she was attracted to him...

"Maybe it's me" Xander sighed "maybe girls just aren't attracted to me"

"Why wouldn't they be attracted to you?" Willow asked too fast, going red as her hair Xander noticed.

"Thanks for the compliment" he smiled, their eyes inadvertently locking as they looked up at the same time, making them both feel something different "So, what about you?" Xander asked her, his gaze never leaving hers "Any special guys in your life?"

"Just one" her voice came out in a whisper "but I'm not..." she shook her head, though she could not tear her eyes away from him "well, I don't think he'd ever go out with me"

"Why not?" his rhetorical question voiced almost as quietly as her own words had been as some kind of unknown force seemed to push the two young people closer together "You're attractive and sweet and kind and...any guy would be lucky to..." his sentence never reached a proper end as his lips became otherwise occupied, and Willow found out what Buffy meant when she talked about those feelings elicited just by a kiss.

Conversation at the Bronze was running short between Buffy and Spike. They'd found so much to say the night before, but there were too many feelings inside the two of them, leaving no room for thoughts of words to say. Still, neither could say they were bored or wishing they were elsewhere, to be in each others company was wonderful, even if it was an uncomfortable kind of wonderful.

"So" Spike began "I haven't seen you in here before, then two nights in a row. You new around here?" he asked Buffy, only glancing at her once the whole time.

"Er, yeah" she decided to say, even though it was a lie, it was only a half-lie since the person she was when she was in this club, with this man, was completely new, even if the real her had lived in Sunnydale all her life "How about you?" she asked him in return.

"Been coming here a while" he said non-committally, and silence overtook them again. Unable to concentrate on a conversation that didn't exist and too afraid to concentrate on what she was feeling right now, Buffy listened more intently to the music that was playing. A female artist was on the stage, could have been anyone as far as Buffy knew, whoever she was she had incredible voice and the song she sang seemed to really hit home as the lyrics reached Buffy's ears.

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'I used to think that I could walk away / From anything that anyone could say / Swore that I would never want to stay / Until the day I met you'

Noticing how intently she watched the band on stage and not knowing what else to say to her right now, Spike asked the girl beside him if she wanted to dance. He was pleased when she nodded her head and took his offered hand. They walked out amongst the other couples and he took her in his arms as they began to sway to the slow rhythm of the music.

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'You were the one that raised the stakes / But me kissing you was the fatal mistake / Now you've got a hold that I just can't break / You've taken away my heart'

Buffy felt sick as she listened to the lyrics of the music they were dancing too. It was as if the singer knew her and was trying to tell her what an idiot she was. Buffy knew she couldn't continue to see this guy, couldn't have a real relationship with him, so why was she here and why had she kissed him and why were his hands on her waist making her tingle all over?

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'If I turn around will the sky fall down/ Will it rumble and crumble and tumble to the ground / If I walk away I could make it right / But I can't leave you baby, cos I need you tonight'

She was so glad her head was on his shoulder so Spike couldn't see her eyes tearing up. She knew she shouldn't have come back, that she should leave now without a backward glance, but she was falling for him so hard, she knew she'd got herself into a very complicated position.

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'Now I don't wanna cause no pain, it's true / If I stay here I know it's what I'll do / I need the strength to walk away from you / Cos us two just can't be right'

Buffy felt as if she wanted to scream at the girl on stage 'Okay, I get it, I can't be with this guy and I'm a bitch for lying to him!' but of course she didn't do it.

As if he sensed her discomfort, Spike shifted his body, making her raise her head so he could see her face.

"Something wrong?" he asked, looking right into her eyes. He looked at her with such concern and affection, it would have made Buffy feel worse if not for the fact she was too busy drowning in the blueness of his eyes to notice anything else.

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'If I turn around will the sky fall down/ Will it rumble and crumble and tumble to the ground / If I walk away I could make it right / But I can't leave you baby cos I need you tonight'

"It's all wrong" Buffy managed to choke out, a single tear running down her cheek, and it almost broke Spike's heart to see it. He'd known her two days and already the sight of her tears tore him up inside. He didn't understand what her words meant but her pain was evident and his own feelings were overwhelming him. Without a thought in his head but how much he wanted her right at that moment, Spike brought his lips down to meet hers. What began as sweet and gentle soon escalated into passionate and hungry and almost inappropriate, but to Buffy and Spike there was no-one else in the room but them, nothing existed except themselves and deep in the background the final chorus of the song that played.

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'If I turn around will the sky fall down/ Will it rumble and crumble and tumble to the ground / If I walk away I could make it right / But I can't leave you baby, cos I need you tonight'

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To Be Continued...


	9. Kiss And Don't Always Tell

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A/N : Another fairly long chapter, hope you like it. Thanx to everyone who reviewed; CeriCherry, JnR 4eva, DiStUrBeD-GuRl*57, RoboShiflo, SpIkEs AnGeL, ms trick, luvin-echo16, SouthernRain, DarkAngel465, Jenny, SweetBitter, tinysusy. I'm so proud that you all like this fic. Can't believe I almost made some of you cry though! Here's the next chapter...

(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)

Chapter 9 - Kiss & Don't Always Tell

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It was getting late and Spike noticed that Buffy was looking at her watch a lot more often than she was at him right now. The three words he was dreading came all too soon.

"I should go" the girl on the stool opposite said half heartedly, obviously she didn't want to go so why did she insist on it? That question bothered him, but not half as much as why did he care? Somehow in the space of two nights, just a few hours on two occasions, this girl had made him fall head over heels for her.

"It's only a little past midnight" he told her, knowing it would do no good.

"I know" she smiled at his attempts to make her stay as he stood and moved closer to her, he tried to kiss her but she knew she'd never leave if she let him so she turned her head and instead he worked on her neck which wasn't any less distracting "I don't wanna leave but..."

"Then stay a bit longer" he begged between kisses "You're car won't turn into a pumpkin, will it?" he smirked and she giggled at that.

"Maybe" she shrugged "it's my brothers car so anything could happen"

"Then let's hope it does" Spike whispered in her ear before moving to look into her eyes "then you really can't leave" he added before capturing her lips and it was several minutes before they came up for air.

"Spike, I have to go" she told him sadly, her arms around his neck now as he held her by the waist. Finally he conceded that maybe she did have to leave, but still he didn't let go of her.

"Will you be here again tomorrow night?" he wanted to know and despite the fact she knew she was an idiot, Buffy didn't say no.

"I don't know, maybe" as she spoke, Spike moved away, just as far as the bar and Buffy watched his back until he turned to face her again.

"Here" he said, holding something out to her, his phone number she soon realised "if you ever want to get a hold of me" he shrugged like he wasn't sure if he'd just done something smart or incredibly stupid.

'If I ever want to get a hold of him?' Buffy said inside her head, 'Oh, if he only knew how much of a hold I'd like to get on him...'

"Thanks" she blushed at her own thoughts that were rapidly getting more and more inappropriate for the daughter of a Lady.

Spike smiled when he realised his thought had been less stupid than he originally suspected, and who knows, maybe she'd even call him, maybe he would see her again, although why he cared so much still bothered him and the chances anything serious would ever happen with this girl was unlikely but right now, all he wanted to do was kiss her. He went with what he felt and soon had her breathless again, but he knew he really would have to let her go now.

"See ya" she smiled, slipping from his arms and heading for the door.

"Yeah, see ya" he said to the empty space she left as she walked away, as he prayed to all the powers that be that he really would see her again, and soon.

"Will? Willow?" Buffy whispered as she came looking for her friend. When the red-haired girl had not been in her room, her friend had been at a loss as to know where to look. It then occurred to her to check the places the two often hid for their secret conversations; the large store room, the hall behind the kitchens, the basement steps...

"Will?"

"Oh my Goddess" Willow gasped as she heard her friends voice. Not two seconds ago her lips had been locked firmly to Xander's but the sound of his sisters voice and footsteps broke the magic and Willow ran up the steps to find Buffy at the top.

"Hey Will, what are you doing down there?" the blonde smiled as her friend emerged. Willow stumbled on her answer until Xander appeared beside the two girls.

"Talking to me" he told his sister and Buffy pulled her insufficient jacket around herself. There was no way of course that she was ever doing to hide what she was, or more accurately wasn't, wearing.

"Xander!" she gasped, partly because Xander had been down in the basement with Willow, but mostly because he'd caught her after another night out that she shouldn't have had.

"What are you...?" he began before exploding as loud as he dared "Did you go to the Bronze again?"

"What?" Buffy did her best to looked shocked and innocent, but failed miserably "No, I just...yes, okay" she sighed in defeat "but keep it down, if Mom finds out I'm dead"

"You'll be more than dead if she sees you in that outfit" Xander hissed "what the hell were you thinking?"

Anger flashed in the blonde's eyes, how dare her twin talk to her like this? He was not her father and besides she was old enough to make her own decisions!

"I was thinking that I hate this house and my life and I just wanted a little fun" she said angrily, still trying to stay quiet and not wake anyone up. She sighed and pleaded to her brothers understanding "Don't you ever do things on the spur of the moment? Do things never just happen to you?"

Xander's eyes briefly met Willow's and he felt too guilty and confused with the feelings to stay mad at his sister for just wanting a little fun. Their lives were pretty oppressed after all, and he wasn't perfect so why should he expect Buffy to be.

"I...I guess I shouldn't be so hard on you" he conceded "if you were just having fun. But I worry about you sis" he put a brotherly arm over her shoulders and squeezed and she couldn't help but smile.

"I know, and I love that you do, but I can take care of myself" she assured him as Willow shuffled uncomfortably and wished she could run away right now.

"Willow?!" came a half-yell and the red-head was almost glad to hear her mothers angry tone.

"Oh shoot. If Mom finds me here with you..." she began, turning to run down the corridor, but unsure as to whether she should or not.

"Go!" Buffy urged her, not wanting her friend to get into trouble "We'll talk in the morning"

With a quick smile and a look at Xander, the housekeepers daughter hurried back to her bedroom, hoping she made it before her mother caught her.

"So, did you have a good time tonight?" Xander asked as he walked with Buffy, from the bottom of the house to the top.

"Yeah, very good" she smiled as she thought of Spike, the talking, the dancing, and most importantly the kissing.

"But you're not seriously going to keep doing this are you?" Xander frowned, worried for his sisters welfare despite her claims to be able to take care of herself "How did you get to the Bronze anyway, you don't have a car?" he made a sudden realisation, as the siblings ascended the final flight of stairs to the floor on which they both slept.

Buffy was silent as she scaled two and three stairs at a time to try to get away from her brother, not an easy task when silence is necessary.

"You stole my car!" he gasped, possibly a little too loudly and Buffy shushed him as they reached the landing.

"I didn't steal your car" she hissed "I borrowed it and hey, why don't you yell a little louder, I think the people sleeping on the twelfth floor didn't quite hear you" she added, sarcasm dripping from every word.

"We don't have a twelfth floor Buff" Xander half-smiled at her exaggeration and she sighed with exasperation.

"It's an expression, okay?" she told him with a shake of her head, hoping now she would get the opportunity to change the subject off her deceptions "Anyway, how was your night? You spend the whole time moping about Cordy"

"Actually, I..." Xander was about to tell her everything when he realised maybe not such a good plan "yeah, mostly just moping" he half-lied, studying his shoes as they arrived outside Buffy's bedroom door.

"You okay?" she asked trying to meet his eyes as he continued to look down.

"Of course" he gave her a tight smile as he looked up "why wouldn't I be?"

"I don't know..." she shook her head lightly, a slight frown on her features, something was wrong she just wished she knew what, Xander never kept secrets from her "well, I guess I'll see you in the morning" she yawned, deciding she'd figure out her brother tomorrow, right now she was just too tired.

"Yeah. Sleep tight sis" Xander kissed her forehead and headed down the hall to his own room, both siblings soon drifted off to sleep with memories of sweet kisses on their minds.

****

"Oh Will, it was incredible" Buffy raved to her friend, late the next morning, as the girls sat cross legged across from each other on some boxes in a large store room in the house "I felt so bad about it all cos I knew I couldn't be with him and then...oh God when he kissed me it was like...wow" Buffy explained somewhat illiterately, but Willow took in every gasp and joyful smile from her friend, glad she was so happy, her mind also flipping back to last night and her own kissing experiences.

"I know what you mean" she sighed as she thought how 'wow' it had felt when Xander brought his lips to hers, she'd been in heavan for those few minutes.

"You do?" Buffy frowned a little. She loved Willow like a sister and she didn't want to say it out loud, but she knew Willow could have no idea what she was talking about, the red-head had never been kissed like that! She'd never even had a boyfriend, not even a date!

"Oh, well, I can imagine" Willow shrugged, trying to cover. She could have just told Buffy that she'd kissed Xander last night, the blonde already knew how much she liked him, but something stopped her just as it had stopped Xander the night before. The feelings Willow had now were already confused and she had an awful feeling that Xander may well be regretting his actions by now...

"I doubt it" Buffy sighed as she stared off into space and tried to put into words the feelings that Spike could invoke within her "It was like flying and drowning and all at the same time. He's so gorgeous and he makes me feel so amazingly alive, I can't even describe it properly" she giggled to herself, until she noticed Willow's serious expression.

"Not to burst your bubble" the slightly younger girl said nervously "but what about Angel and your life?"

"I don't love Angel" Buffy said matter-of-factly "I mean, he's a nice guy and I care about him but it's just not the same" she shook her head "As for my life, I just don't care Will, so long as Spike is in it" she said in an almost dreamy tone, the voice of a girl who was falling head over heels in love.

"But he can't be, can he?" Willow's frown deepened as she posed her question and she felt awful as Buffy's smile crumbled. The blonde opened her mouth to speak but no words come out. She'd just been forced to look at the big and very realistic picture and it wasn't as pretty and simple as she would have liked.

"I'm sorry to bring you down sweetie" the red-head tried to smile, putting her hand on her friends arm.

"But I have to be realistic" she nodded, understanding but wishing she didn't "I know"

"When you left, what did you tell him?" Willow asked her curiously "I mean, did you say you'd see him again?"

"I said 'maybe'" Buffy admitted as she looked at her fidgeting hands in her lap "and as much as my head is telling me I shouldn't, my heart wants me to go back again" she explained, looking up again "in fact it never wanted me to leave" she laughed humourlessly, as she realised staying was never going to be an option, Spike would never be an option, not long-term.

"Oh boy, you're in deep" Willow smiled sadly at her friend who sighed and nodded in agreement.

"Don't I know it" she said "Part of me wishes I'd never met Spike, and another part is so glad I did because, because he's just so..."

"Indescribable?" Willow almost laughed and Buffy smiled too now.

"Seems that way..." she trailed off, deciding to move the conversation away from herself and Spike for a while, it was only making her miserable anyway "hey, how come you were down the basement with Xander?"

"We were...talking" Willow explained, taking her turn at looking at her hands in her lap instead of across at her friends.

"About me?" Buffy wondered, unable to think of many topics her best friend and her brother would have in common.

"Some about you, some about other stuff" Willow shrugged "I was keeping him busy so he'd stop wondering where you were, just like you asked me too" she defended her actions just in case Buffy guessed what really happened, though she doubted she would ever think something like that could happen, Willow had only dreamt such things herself, she never expected them to be reality one day.

"Thanks Will" Buffy smiled, moving to hug her friend "even though it didn't do any good, I appreciate it. Actually, I should probably go talk to him" she realised, standing up and heading for the door "about the 'big secret'" she air-quoted.

"There's no big secret, we, I mean, he doesn't have a secret, I don't think, as far as I know he doesn't, I..." Willow rambled madly, all of a sudden afraid that Buffy knew about the kissing...

"_My_ secret, Willow" Buffy explained with a puzzled look "I need to make sure he's not going to spill to Mom"

"Oh, of course, right" the red-head smiled and inwardly sighed with great relief "you should totally go an do that twin talk thing"

"I will" Buffy nodded slowly as she opened the door "I'll see you later okay?"

"Great, fine, okay, great" Willow said too fast and her friend gave her a strange look as she left the room. Something weird was definitely going on.

Buffy found Xander practising pool in one of the games rooms.

"Hey" she said with a smile as she came in.

"Hey" he replied, glancing at her, then bringing his eyes back to the shot he was lining up.

"You okay?" she asked with a tilt of her head as he potted the red ball into the corner pocket, as planned.

"I guess" he shrugged as he straightened up "You?"

"Y'know" she shrugged to as she gave her vague answer and watched as her brother moved around the table to line up the next shot "Er, about last night.." Buffy began and immediately Xander forgot how to play pool and concentrated fully on his sister "What about last night? Nothing happened last night"

"Yes it did" Buffy told him "I snuck out to the Bronze dressed, and I quote, 'like a cheapo whore from Slutsville', remember?"

Xander almost laughed at his own words, maybe they had been a little strong, but last night had been a little too weird and confusing, all in all.

"Maybe I over-reacted just a little" he admitted, putting the pool cue back where it belonged "but you're my sister and I don't like the thought of you putting yourself in danger"

"I wasn't in danger" she assured him but still he wasn't convinced.

"Dressed like that?" he reminded her "Alone? In the bad part of town?"

"I wasn't alone..." she said immediately, before realising she couldn't really explain Spike to her brother "I mean, there were a whole lot of people there, and really Xander, I know how to take care of myself" she repeated what she had already told him the night before.

"I know..." he nodded that he understood and Buffy took his silence as an opportunity to do a little digging about Willow.

"Oh, not that I'm trying to change the subject or anything but did something happen last night, with you and Willow" she asked straight-out.

"Er, no" her brother shook his head, pushing a couple of stray balls on the table into the nearest pockets with his hand "we just talked is all" he shrugged, not looking at his sister "Have you talked to her today?"

"Yeah, she said you just talked" Buffy told him, watching his expression intently but it didn't change.

"Then why ask me?" he wondered aloud, finally looking at her again, as his mind whirled. If Willow hadn't admitting kissing him, he wasn't going to admit to kissing her either. Maybe she wanted to forget it? Maybe he did too, right now he wasn't sure...

"I dunno" Buffy shrugged her shoulders as she headed toward the door to leave the room again, her thoughts all of a muddle. Feelings for Spike clouded her head, she had to deal with Angel, and something weird was definitely going on with Willow and Xander. With all the uncertainties, there was just one solid fact she was certain of, she was going to see Spike again soon, she had something to tell him - she was a girl in love.

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To Be Continued...

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~~ Next update will be Trouble With Boys! Chapter 10 will be called 'How It Should Be', look out for that soon...I think you're gonna like it a lot :-) ~~


	10. Thinking And Feeling

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A/N : Back to this story on the merry-go round of Ultra's fic updates! Oh, I'm also working on a little Christmas ficlet which will be set in the ARILY-verse (AU following 'Always Remember - I Love You'), but I have so much going on at the moment I don't know when I'll get a chance to finish it and post it. Anyway, back to this fic, thanx to everyone who reviewed; SouthernRain, SpIkEs AnGeL [you always make me laugh, and not in a 'I'm gonna call security' kind of way, just in the 'I think this girl might be as crazy as me' kind of way ;)], DiStUrBeD-GuRl*57, RougeCrayon, ms trick, B/S Rox, Veggie-Babu-chan [actually, I have first dibs on Spike's phone number ;)] Oh and the song from chapter 8 is called 'Will The Sky Fall?' and I wrote it myself a while ago, not actually for this fic, but I realised it fit so I put it in. I think that's everything, so here's the new chapter...

(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)

Chapter 10 - Thinking and Feeling

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Buffy stood in the centre of her bedroom, a small piece of paper held in front of her face, unnecessarily by both her hands, given the size of the paper. On it, it said simply 'Spike' and then a row of digits that were the number of his cellphone.

Just the sight of his name on the page made Buffy feel strange, but a very excellent kind of strange. As ridiculous as it seemed after just two evenings spent in this young man's company, Lady Joyce's daughter was sure she was in love, with someone she knew simply as Spike.

It was only now it occurred to the blonde just how little she really knew about this guy and at the same time, how little it really mattered. She did not know his real name, where he lived or where he came from, and at the same time he knew just as little about her. She'd mentioned she had a brother, but there was no mention of his family at all, in any of their conversations.

Of course, it was the times without words that were most memorable and exquisite for Buffy. She flopped backwards onto her bed with a dreamy smile on her face as she hugged the paper to her chest and sighed. The pictures in her mind's eye were accompanied by feelings that were burned into her, emotions summoned up by Spike's presence, the glorious feeling of his lips upon hers as they'd kissed, and his hands on her body as they'd danced.

She wanted to call him. Buffy wanted to pick up the phone and call the number she held in her hand, to let this guy know she'd done nothing but think of him for hours and wanted nothing more than to be with him. She wanted to let those three special words slip out and she wanted to hear them said back to her in that beautiful accent of his...but in that laid the catch. 

Was Spike as head over heels for Buffy as she was for him? She knew he had to at least like her, what with all the kissing and him not wanting her to leave the club and everything, but Buffy wasn't familiar with how these things worked. The kind of people who went to these clubs, did they behave differently to her? Was she supposed to just forget this man after a few days and move on? 'Well,' she considered, 'he wouldn't have given me his number if he didn't want to see me again'

Deciding to bite the bullet and just call, Buffy moved for the phone and took the receiver from the cradle. She'd half dialled the number with a shaking hand when something stopped her.

"Elizabeth?!" 

It was Lady Joyce, coming down the corridor yelling for her daughter. Buffy quickly replaced the handset, shoved the sacred paper she held underneath her mattress and hurried from her room into the hallway where she met her mother who was about to knock on the door.

"Did you want something Mom?" Buffy asked, as innocently as she could.

"Yes, dear" her mother sighed, "I wondered what your plans were for this evening, I was considering inviting some of my friends over for dinner and drinks, I wondered if you and your brother would like to join us?"

'Dinner with Mom and her old lady friends?' Buffy forced back the look of disgust at the very idea and pushed forward a very fake smile that thankfully, Lady Joyce took as a real one.

"You know I'd love to come" she lied, she decided in that split second that calling Spike would not do, she had to see him again tonight "but I'm going out tonight" she said truthfully, before adding the final lie "...with Angel"

"Oh" Joyce looked a little disappointed for a second, but soon brightened, "Not to worry, dear" she smiled, "I'm sure we'll be fine without you, and besides I'm sure you'll have much more fun with your young man than you would with us here"

As the older woman glided off down the corridor, Buffy smiled to herself and spoke softly.

"Oh mother, you have no idea"

Xander had spent the whole day thinking about Willow. Last night he'd been upset and confused and it had helped a lot to talk to the red-head, but her help had turned into a whole lot more when he'd kissed her and she'd kissed back. What was worrying Xander was the feelings he could not identify. He'd spent all this time with Cordelia and now he had finally realised what an idiot he'd been. She'd cheated on him and Xander had almost not cared at all. As he thought back over his relationship with Miss Chase, Buffy's brother realised that kissing her had been nice but not spectacular, talking to her had been interesting but not wholly captivating, and whilst Cordelia was obviously gorgeous on the outside, beneath the skin-deep beauty, she was not so pretty on the inside, where it counted.

Now there was Willow. Not rich like him, not really an obvious beauty, not experienced with boyfriends or particularly popular, but the house-keeper's daughter was kind and considerate, she listened and she cared, and when Xander took time to look he noticed she was far from unattractive, with a little make-up and the right clothes he was sure she could be competition for Cordelia and Harmony and the other beauties of Sunnydale. 

What was really confusing Xander was the feelings he'd felt when he'd kissed his sisters secret best friend. Something, this unidentified emotion, moved within him. Was it a lust thing, maybe just a comfort thing, he couldn't be sure, or was it more than that? Did he care about her? Could he maybe be on that road toward loving her? Was that even possible? 

The young brunette felt like he was drowning in his deep thoughts and the only person he could think of who might understand him was the one person he couldn't tell...Willow. Sure, there was Buffy, but with the girl in question being her best friend, he doubted she'd be too comfortable with it. In that case he'd have to solve his problems on his own for a change...

"Buffy, you can't" Willow protested as she watched her friend slip into the third and final 'wild' top she had purchased, the skirt from two nights ago and the boots she bought for her first occasion of escape.

"I can, Will" the blonde assured her with a smile, "and I have to, I have to at least tell Spike how I feel"

"But what good will it do?" Willow shook her head, thinking equally as much about herself and Xander as Buffy and Spike when she explained, "I mean, even if you tell him you love him, even if he loves you too, you know that you can never be together"

Buffy sighed and sat down on the bed beside Willow.

"I know it's hopeless" she admitted, "but even the word hopeless has hope in it, right?" she joked with a smile, but Willow wasn't laughing.

"Be serious, Buff" she urged, "You know this is gonna end badly"

"I know" she said again, "but I've never felt anything like this Will, and it's not just the going out and it's not just Spike, it's the whole thing..."

"Maybe that's it" the red-head interrupted, "Maybe you like him cos you know you can't have him"

"Is that why you like Xander?" Buffy shot back and Willow's eyes went wide, did her friend know what had happened last night? "I mean, you told me you like him and you said you couldn't be with him..." Willow sighed inwardly as she realised Buffy had no idea about the kissage.

"It's not the same" she said firmly, knowing damn well it was, "but I guess whatever I say isn't gonna stop you going tonight, is it?"

Buffy smiled at her friend.

"Nope, nothings gonna stop me"

With Lady Joyce believing Buffy was going out with Angel tonight, she planned on still asking her son to join her little party, but for some reason she couldn't find him anywhere in the house. There was a reason for this of course and it was that he was hiding and seeking at the same time. As he hid from his mother, he also sought out Willow in the servants quarters, he really needed to talk to her about the night before. He had to know how she felt so he could work out how he felt himself, the whole situation was slowly driving him crazy.

"Xander?" he heard behind him and he turned to see the girl he'd been looking for standing right behind him, "Buffy isn't down here" she told him with a shake of her head.

"I wasn't looking for Buffy" he said, also shaking his head, "I was looking for you"

"Oh" was the only answer she gave, not daring to move, hardly daring to breathe. She'd thought of nothing but this man and the kisses they'd shared last night, convincing herself that it all meant nothing and that she would forget it in time. The honest part of her knew she'd never forget her first ever kiss with this man she knew she was in love with and had been for years.

"Can we talk?" he asked her after a moments silence, "somewhere private?"

Willow nodded once and they headed to the basement stairs where they had spent their time last night. Despite the fact her heart was racing and her breathing was erratic, Willow spared one thought for Buffy, knowing she was probably just as nervous about certain things she needed to say to Spike...

When Buffy arrived at the Bronze, she headed straight toward the bar, almost certain that she would find Spike there. She was a little later than she'd planned to be, who knew there was so much traffic on the roads on a Sunday night in Sunnydale? But there he was, the guy she'd be daydreaming about all day, even looking at him from the back was giving her the shakes.

"I'm gonna call it a night, Willy" she heard him sigh as she came up right behind the stool he sat on and leant in close to his ear.

"You gonna leave me here all alone?" she said, all girlish innocence as he glanced to his left and she moved to his right, hopping up onto the stool beside him and silently ordering two drinks from Willy.

"Buffy" a huge grin spread across Spike's face when he finally saw her there beside him "I've been thinking about you all day" he cursed inwardly at what a ponce he must sound like 'Nice one, Spike' he said to himself, but Buffy didn't seem to be looking at him like he was stupid, even though he felt it.

"I've been thinking about you too..." she said shyly, looking down at her hands and then glancing back up at him through her long lashes "that's kind of why I'm here..." she trailed off and she had no idea what she was doing to the man in front of her. She was such a contradiction, so sweet and innocent that he wanted to wrap her in cotton wool and keep her safe, and at the same time so sexy as hell that he wanted to do a whole lot of other stuff to her that he knew for certain he shouldn't say out loud.

"Before you say anything else..." he said quickly before she could interrupt, encouraging her to put down the glass she had recently picked up. She did so a little warily and stood as he tugged on her hand. Before she knew it they were kissing like the night before, her arms as tightly around him as his were around her.

"Wow" she gasped, gulping in air, when they finally broke apart.

"Yeah, I needed that" Spike smiled and Buffy couldn't help but do the same as they sat down on their stools by the bar again.

"Me too" Buffy admitted, shaking her head slightly to clear the haze that had descended and wondering if the alcohol on the bar in front of her was necessary, since Spike could make her feel all the effects of it without even trying, but it made her all the more sure of what she was about to say "I know it sounds crazy" she began, concentration fully on her glass "and I can't really believe I'm saying this but...I think" she made herself look at him now, right into those eyes that tried to drown her everytime she dared to steal at glance at them "I think I'm falling in love with you" she admitted, waiting without breath or heartbeat for some kind of response.

For a moment he was silent, but his eyes never left hers. It was an intense and terrifying few seconds for the girl who'd just laid bear her heart, until Spike finally made some kind of reply...

"Well, I'm not falling in love with you, Buffy" he said too seriously and Buffy thought her heart would break until he smiled and added "I've already fallen. I fell so hard the first moment I saw you I'm surprised I don't have bruises" he grinned and Buffy allowed herself to laugh, not just because of his lame joke but also with pure relief that he did feel the same way about her.

"I know the feeling..." she assured him, their eyes locking once again as she turned deadly serious "but it's ridiculous, we don't even know each other properly, and yet..."

"It feels right" he stated more than guessed, knowing it was true.

"Yeah, it really does" she agreed, her voice fading away as he stood and moved toward her again. She knew what was coming and the anticipation of it almost killed her. If possible, the beautiful feelings that erupted when his lips hit hers were even better this time than before, because she knew without a doubt that she was kissing the man she loved and that he loved her too.

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To Be Continued...

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[Next Update will be 'Trouble With Boys' - Chapter 11 - Better The Devil You Know]


	11. Busted

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A/N : Rushed this chapter through, since I did say my next update would be on this fic. Now I have done this I can concentrate on my Christmas fic, which will be just three or four short chapters, hopefully the first of which will be posted tomorrow. Would you believe I have to work right up to Christmas Eve?! Thankfully I get a week and a half off after that so I'll hopefully find some extra fic writing time then! In the meantime, thanx to the reviewers of chapter ten; courtney, SweetBitter, aphelant, SpIkEs AnGeL, Gisme, CeriCherry (don't worry, you don't have to review every single chapter, though it is nice, lol), Veggie-Babu-chan (yes, after I'm done with the number you can have it, lol). Right, enough rambling, now time for story...

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(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)

Chapter 11 - Busted

It was hardly surprising, given her awful attitude and unstoppable drinking, that no-one accepted Lady Joyce's invitation of dinner. She decided to replace her absent company with several glasses of her favourite drinks, now, from outside the door of her daughters bedroom, a slightly tipsy Lady Joyce wondered why she could hear bells ringing...

"My Lady" said a voice causing her to physically jump as she realised the maid, Susan, had appeared from the bedroom, Buffy's cordless phone in her hand "the young Mr O'Connor is on the telephone, he asked to speak to Miss Elizabeth..." the young woman explained, holding the phone out to her employer, who stared at it as if it were a bomb.

"But she was going out with him tonight..." Joyce mumbled to herself before looking the confused maid in the eye "I'll take the call in the front lounge in two minutes" she said in her strictest tone, before sweeping towards the stair case and down to the sitting room at the front of the house where she often resided. The phone soon began to ring as it should and she picked it up and placed it to her ear. 

"Hello"

"Lizzy?" the young man on the other end of the line asked.

"This is Lady Joyce Summers" the older woman snapped and Angel felt sick. As much as he liked Elizabeth, her mother was unbearable!

"Oh, good evening ma'am" the young man admirably covered his disappointment of not being able to speak to his girlfriend "This is Liam O'Connor, I wondered if I might speak with your daughter" he said, hoping to God this woman would just hand over the hone and let him talk to the girl he'd actually called to speak to.

"Were you not supposed to be taking Elizabeth out tonight?" the Lady asked him with a frown and inside his head Angel was screaming 'would I be calling her if I was with her?!' God this woman was infuriating!

"No ma'am" he answered as calmly as he could "I haven't seen her in three days, that's why I was calling" when their was no response he asked "Is she okay?"

There was a long pause and Angel was just about to ask his question again when Lady Joyce finally spoke up.

"Thankyou for your concern" she said smoothly "but she's quite alright. I'll have her call you soon, my dear"

"Thankyou ma'am" Angel said politely, all the time wondering if he was being lied to "Have a pleasant evening"

"Goodnight Mr O'Connor" he heard the lady reply before the line went dead. There was definitely something weird going on, Angel was sure of it, but Lady Joyce was closer to knowing what that thing was than him.

With an angry look and a displeased tone, Lady Joyce began to move through the house, calling to her oblivious son. If anyone knew what Elizabeth was up to, it would be her twin brother.

The elusive son of Lady Joyce was in one place he was sure he would not be discovered, back on the basement stairs where he'd been the night before with Willow right next to him, making him want to kiss her just by looking at him in her shy little way.

"What did you wanna talk about?" the red head asked, looking at her feet and just barely shifting her eyes to look up at him as she spoke.

"Last night" was his quiet response and Willow shifted uncomfortably, not knowing exactly what to say. She was so sure she knew what he was going to say, he was going to break her heart and the waiting for those words to come was almost unbearable.

"Will, I don't know what really happened" Xander sighed and Willow refused to look at him, suddenly finding her own shoes very interesting "but...it's like stuff happened when we kissed, and I never felt like that when I kissed Cordy or anybody and...I'm making a total mess of this but I just don't know what it means"

The girl beside him wanted to tell him what she thought it meant, she wanted to tell him how much she liked him, maybe loved him, and how she only hoped he might feel the same way about her, but all the words got stuck before they made it out of her mouth and all she could do was look at him with a confused expression.

"So I was thinking" Xander glanced away from her gaze "maybe we should, y'know, kiss again so we can figure it out"

It was possibly the lamest excuse ever devised for getting a girl to kiss him, but Xander didn't know what to do with the feelings he'd been having recently for Willow. He had sort of hoped it wouldn't come to this, he'd thought perhaps she would tell him how she felt about him, making it easier for him to make a decision about his own mixed emotions, but she didn't, so this was Plan B.

"If you think that's a good idea" Willow shrugged, trying to hide her blushing face behind her red hair.

"You don't?" Xander answered too fast and Willow shook her head fast, replying negatively.

"Oh no, I didn't exactly say that" she said, before realising how overly eager she must seem "I mean, it's all scientific and stuff so it's not like it's really wrong or anything" she justified as best she could.

"Exactly" Xander gave a firm nod as he turned to look properly at the girl beside him, the girl that he wondered if he was falling for.

Willow brought her head up, until her eyes met Xander's and she shivered under the intensity of his gaze. Neither of them seemed willing to be the first to move but it was getting the better of both their patience. Suddenly, they both decided to go for it and simultaneously leant in. As their lips joined it was as magical as the night before and both knew this was more than they'd ever realised it could be...

"Alexander!"

They broke apart sharply as his mother's loud booming voice echoed down the hallways above them. Xander sighed in annoyance.

"Y'know for a Lady who teaches my sister and me about manners and stuff, she yells a whole lot" Xander smiled and although Willow tried to do the same her heart wasn't in it. She'd been enjoying herself way too much then, but the calls of Xander's mothers only reminded her of the fact that they were too different to be together for real, bringing her back down to Earth with a nasty bump.

"Shouldn't you go to her?" she asked with a frown and Xander nodded.

"I guess" he conceded, getting up from the step and hurrying to find his mother.

Willow waited for five minutes before deciding it would now be safe for her to leave the basement stairs without looking suspicious. As she made her way up, she ran straight into Xander who had a strange look on his face.

"What did your mother want?" the red-head asked him worriedly.

"Buffy was supposed to be going out with Angel tonight" he explained "but he just called and asked where she was"

At this the housekeepers daughter frowned and looked away, confirming Xander's suspicions.

"Willow? Did she go to the Bronze again?" he asked with a tone of authority, little knowing that he didn't need it, she would have confessed anyway.

"Yes" she said softly, ashamed that she'd lied, especially to him.

With a shake of his head and a sigh, Xander lowered his voice as he spoke to his sisters best friend.

"Call her cellphone" he instructed her "warn her to have an excuse ready"

That only caused Willow's frown to deepen. Wasn't he supposed to be against Buffy's wild nights out?

"But I thought..." she began before he cut her off abruptly.

"I don't agree with what she's doing" he admitted "but I kinda understand it and I don't want my sister to get in trouble" the fact that he cared so much made Willow smile "You make the call, I'll go calm Mom down as much as I can" the young man before her said, waiting for a simple nod from her before rushing off again, their kisses so unfortunately forgotten, for now.

"You want to dance luv?" Spike offered and Buffy was quick to give her positive reply. Being in his arms felt wonderful before and she couldn't wait to be there again. Unfortunately they didn't make it to the dancefloor before her cellphone began to ring. The display read 'unknown number' and with a frown she put the phone to her ear.

"Hello?" 

"Buffy, it's me..." Willow rushed out in a quiet tone, so afraid she would be overheard. On the other end of the line Spike watched Buffy's face turn paler by the second, until finally she hung up the phone and gasped;

"Oh God"

"Something the matter, pet?" a worried Spike asked her, nothing but concern and love in his eyes as he looked upon her.

"I have to go" Buffy told him, cringing as she saw him physically flinch. She shoved her cell back in her bag and pulled out some money to pay for the drink she'd almost finished.

"Now?" Spike complained "but you just got here" as he watched her gulp the last part of her drink and check her bag for her car keys.

"I know and I don't want to leave" she assured him as she got off her stool and glanced toward the door.

"You always say that but you always go" he complained, reaching for her hand to stop her running out on him again, but he knew already it would do no good.

"I swear, I will be back" she promised, turning to him once more "I don't know when, but I will be back"

Before he could protest further, she grabbed him by the collar and pulled his lips to hers for a brief kiss, before literally running from the building.

Buffy was glad she had to drive herself home, it had stopped her from drinking alcohol tonight and that was a good thing if she was going to hide her night out from her mother. The car sped down the road, swerving in and out of traffic and taking corners at dangerous speeds, but Buffy knew if she got back too late Lady Joyce would be doubly suspicious, doubly drunk and probably doubly nasty about everything.

Buffy bolted from the car to the front door, making sure her coat was buttoned and covering the clothes her mother would flip her lid over. Rubbing her hands on her face to remove some of her makeup she arrived in the foyer of her house, running almost slap bang into her angry looking mother. She only hoped she could talk her way out of this predicament.

"I want an explanation Elizabeth" Lady Joyce demanded "and I want it now"

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To Be Continued...

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[Next fic by Ultra will be 'Emily's Christmas Wish' - expect Part 1 tomorrow, or Monday at the latest]


	12. The Truth, The HalfTruth, and Everything...

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A/N : Wow, can't believe it's two weeks since I last posted on this fic! Thats quite a long gap for me. Oh well, here we are at chapter 12, and I hope after this amount of time you can remember what happened before! Thankx to the reviewers of chapter 11; SpIkEs AnGeL, ms trick, SweetBitter, Lisa, SouthernRain, Rachel, BuffyandDracoLover. Sorry I made you all wait so long - but here's the new chapter and I hope you like it...

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(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)

Chapter 12 - The Truth, The Half-Truth, and Anything But The Truth

Buffy lay on her bed, tear stains down her cheeks and even more salt water threatening to spill out of her red rimmed eyes at any moment. How had all this happened? How had she managed to get from the truest form of contentment to perfect and tragic pain, in the space of a half hour.

"I want an explanation" her mother had snapped in her harshest tone as Buffy finally made it into her house. She hadn't had much time to come up with excuses, against all odds she had hoped to get home fast enough to avoid her mother knowing she'd ever been out, with a fast change of clothes her excuse would be she's been somewhere in the grounds without anyone's knowledge. Of course that would have left the problem of Angel, but she could easily have admitted to simply wanting to avoid her mothers evening of 'entertaining', she'd get a stern telling off for that but nothing majorly bad.

As it was she'd been caught, in the clothes and make-up that her mother so disapproved of.

"I was at a party" Buffy half-lied, the Bronze was like a party atmoshpere of sorts after all.

"You said you were going out with Angel" Joyce reminded her, "Where is he?"

"Oh, yeah, I..." Buffy faltered as her mind spun, "I didn't mean Angel, I meant Angela" she lied completely now, hoping her mother would swallow it, "She's a new girl from our school"

Joyce looked dubiously at her daughter. She was aware of all comings and goings on the 'better' side of town. If any new person were attending school with Buffy she would surely know of their parents.

"What is this Angela's last name?" she asked and watched Buffy silently flounder, trying to come up with a response.

"It's, er, Angela...Spike-ford, she said suddenly, "Yeah, that's it, Angela Spikesford" she smiled on the outside as inside she screamed at herself for soming up with such a stupid name and for being such a bad liar and for getting caught and...

"Where was this party with Miss Spikesford?" her mother persisted, thinking not only the name very suspiscious but also the way Buffy was acting, all jumpy and fidgety, she wasn't buying these excuses at all and she planned to get to the truth, even if it took all night.

"At her house" Buffy said quickly, desperate to keep her breathing steady, but her nerves and the exertion of running had made her heart beat faster and her body needed more oxygen too fast for her to keep up without obvious panting.

Joyce didn't wait for further explanation, something else had just occurred to her. Why was her daughter wearing that long coat? It wasn't particularly cold and she was indoors now,still with all the buttons fastened. There would be no conceivable reason for this, unless she had something to hide.

"You're looking a little flushed, dear" Joyce suddenly smiled, making Buffy doubly nervous, her mother never smiled quite like that, "Why don't you take off your coat and cool down"

Buffy was about to protest but she saw her mother's eyes harden above her smile. She knew without a doubt it was Game Over, she'd been caught and there was no way out.

Buffy had expected her mother to be shocked by her apearance but she had not quite thought she would go so far as to faint! Lady Joyce took in the leather and clingy material that adorned her daughters body before passing out cold into the arms of a servant who was standing nearby awaiting orders.

After that, Buffy had started to cry as her mother came aorund, yelling and reprimanding, and informing Buffy she was grounded for eternity, more or less. The girl had run to her room in floods of tears, not because she'd been found out, not because her mother had been disgusted by her appearance, not because she wouldn't be permitted to see her friends for a few weeks, she cried and sobbed her heart out, because she knew without a doubt her time with Spike was definitely over.

Here she still lay, several hours later. Still staring at the ceiling, the peace of sleep and the wonder of dreams hadn't come to Buffy, leaving her to sob in pain as the moon descended once again to make room for the sun in it's place.

A tap on the door caught her attention and she spared a glance at the clock before calling 'come in' to whom ever was on the other side of her door. It was already seven thirty the next day.

"Buffy?" a quiet voice asked as the owner came carefully into the room.

"Willow" Buffy craoked out her best friends name, as said girl walked over to the bed where the blonde lay and sat on the edge, "Oh Will, what am I going to do?"

Suddenly more tears began to course down Buffy's face as she sat up and reached for her friend. Her best friend hugged her, feeling so terrible about Buffy's situation and guiltily thinking about her own a little too.

"We knew it was gonna end Buffy" she said quietly, "You knew it had too, but I am sorry it was this way, with your Mom getting mad and all"

"Of course I knew it had to end" Buffy sniffed, pulling away from her friend and trying to dry her face, an impossible task as all removed tears were soon replaced by fresh ones, "but why now? Why when I've just realised that...Willow, last night I told Spike I loved him and he said it back, we love each other and it's real, and now I'll never see him again" her explanation to her friend only made her ordeal all the more real, brigning forth much more choking and sobbing.

"I wish I could help Buffy" Willow said sadly, almost in tears herself just because her best friend was obviously hurting so badly, "but I can't even talk right now, I'm supposed to be working..." she admitted, standing up again.

"It's okay" Buffy nodded that she understood, "I don't think I'm supposed to talk to anyone anyway...Mom's so mad she's even grounded me from school for at least a week, I'm gonna have to study here"

"I'll try to come back again later" Willow promised as she moved back toward the door, "and I'm sorry" she added just before she turned to actually leave.

"None of this is your fault, Will" Buffy sniffed and Willow gave a simple nod as response before slipping from the room.

As she clicked the bedroom door closed again, the red-head felt a hand on her shoulder and physically jumped at the contact.

"Oh, it's you" she said, gasping in air, her hand over her heart as she turned round and saw Xander standing there.

"How's Buffy?" he asked her without so much as a greeting or apology for scaring her.

"Not so good" Willow frowned, "I don't think it would have been so bad if not for Spike..." she started before realising Xander was not supposed to know anything about Buffy's secret liasions with this mystery man. She clamped her hand over her mouth as if it might help to stop anymore secrets spilling out but it was all too late.

"Spike?" Xander echoed the unfamiliar name, "Who the hell is Spike?"

"Well...er..." Willow wasn't sure what to say. She hated to lie to Xander, especially now when they had this undefined relationship thing going on, they were finally getting really close and the last thing she wanted to do was blow the sliver of a chance she had with him.

"I think you should start from the beginning and tell me exactly what happened" Xander told her, somewhat sternly before glancing away from her and at his sisters bedroom door, "Actually I have a better idea" he amended, "You can _both_ tell me"

It took a while for the whole truthful plan to be divulged to Xander. Willow begged to be allowed to go and do the work her mother had asked her to do but Xander wanted to know everything and he wanted to hear it from not just his sister but her trusted friend too. Besides, if Willow was in anyway berated for lack of work, he would cover for her, he was the man of the house after all, and what he said had an impact.

It was an hour later when Buffy wiped her eys and blew her nose and declared that her brother now knew everything there was to know, how she'd met Spike, their two evenings together and their much more brief final meeting. Mostly he was shocked by his sisters behaviour and several times he'd thought about how he may need to have this guy severely beaten for daring to touch his precious sister, but it seemed she was all too eagar for the touching to be happeneing!

"And you love him?" he checked one final time.

"I do" Buffy said truthfully and Willow's heart broke for her, she looked so sad, "Xander I know it's ridiculous, we both know it, after knowing each other such a short time it should be impossible for us to be in love but we truly are"

"I believe you" came her twin's quiet response, Buffy didn't really notice the way he glanced at Willow, in fact the red-head barely noticed herself, "Time has nothing to do with love, I know that, sometimes you just know" the second glance of Willow that he stole, Buffy saw completely, and despite her complete and utter devatation over Spike, she smiled ever so slightly on the inside at the thought of Xander and Willow finding some happiness together.

"I wish we could help" Willow repeated her earlier sentiments, "but your mother's word is kind of the law in this house" she said unecessarily to her friends, they were only to aware of what consequences could come from disobeying Lady Joyce.

Grounded for weeks was bad enough but Buffy and Xander both knew that their mother could cut off much of their money, could completely disinherit them and throw them out if things got really bad, they were only sixteen after all and had very few rights even to the money that was technically their own.

"I never even got to say goodbye" Buffy mumbled, trying not to start crying all over again, "He's going to think I'm avoiding him, that I used him and lied to him when I said I loved him" she realised with a somewhat hysterical tone.

"He wouldn't think that" Willow tried to calm her down, but she could see how Spike might get the wrong idea. He could easily believe that Buffy had abandoned him, what with her hasty retreat from the Bronze and then never contacting him again...

"Maybe we can help you" Xander suggested a strange look in his eyes as the cogs turning in his mind were almost audible, "Maybe you can have a chance to say goodbye"

* * * * * *

Spike was bored, lonely, and mostly hacked-off. When Buffy had come into the Bronze again last night, he couldn't even pretend to be cool about it, he was thrilled to see her again. When she'd told him she loved him, there'd been no hesitation in admitting that he felt exactly the same about her and despite not knowing even her full given name, Spike knew this was the real thing, with a capital R and a capital T.

Her cellphone had started to ring as they'd headed for the dance floor and her face had gone ashen during the call. Sure something terrible had happened, that some awful news had been communicated he'd asked her what was wrong, tried to help, but before he had much chance to protest she kissed him briefly and ran away.

Ten hours on, Spike was confused by so many things and all of them linked back to the beautiful contradiction that was his Buffy. In his mind she was his, though despite the words they'd said and the kisses they'd shared, he was less sure of his hold on her. In fact he was beginning to wonder if he would see her again, despite the fact she'd said he would. No, he had to trust her, he loved her and therefore he believed in her and what she said, she would be back another night, he just didn't know when. He lay in his room, pondering these things as his own cell vibrated in the pocket of his jeans. 'Unknown Number' was displayed on the screen and with a frown he picked up the call.

"Hello?" he asked warily and was a little confused when an unfamiliar male voice answered him. Not a lot of blokes had his number, he usually only gave it to girls he liked and recently that had meant only Buffy had it.

"Is this Spike? Because I have a message for you"

"Yeah" the bleach blond replied as casually as he could depsite the fact he was totally thrown by this myserious caller, "This is me, who do you have a message from?"

"It's from Buffy" came an almost whispered response and something happened to Spike's heart as he heard that name, after last night he was convinced something tragic had hapened to her, he was relieved when the mystery caller continued, "She needs to see you, after midnight, the road behind the multiplex"

"Whats this all about?" Spike demanded to know, he wouldn't admit it but this call was seriously giving him the wiggins.

"It's complicated" Xander sighed, wishing this guy was less inquisitive, "but if you love her, you'll be there to see her" the brunette concluded before ending the call and switching off his own cellphone, just in case Spike decided to call the number back.

The plan had been fairly awkward, in truth Xander really wasn't a plan making kind of a guy, but he'd do anything for his sister and that included helping to smuggle her out of the house to say goodbye to this guy she believed she was in love with.

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To Be Continued...

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[Coming Soon, to a fanfiction.net page near you; Chapter 13 of 'Trouble With Boys' :-)]


	13. Time To Say Goodbye

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A/N: Thanks to everyone who reviewed; SouthernRain, SweetBitter, SpIkEs AnGeL, buffspike, ms trick, Veggie-Babu-chan, faith95, Aleesha. Just to clear up a point, yes, I amdit Joyce is pretty OOC, but think of her in 'Becoming Part 2' when she found out Buffy was the Slayer - yelling, disapproving, and drinking, now times that by fifty and you kinda get Joyce in this fic, lol. Anyway, I have a feeling this chapter isn't going to be too popular, but have a little faith in me, I'll make it right in the end. In the meantime, tissues on standby, cos you might find that you need them, I almost did and I'm the author! lol__

(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)

Chapter 13 - Time To Say Goodbye

Clad in the clothes she'd worn the night before, Buffy waited in her bedroom for Xander and Willow to arrive at her door. Lady Joyce had visited her daughters room just twice during the day, once to tell her she was to remain in her room until otherwise told and a second time to inform her that Xander was ill. This second fact was of course a lie that Xander himself manufactured so his going to school would not be an issue today. With Willow being home-schooled by her mother anyway, it made no difference whether today was a school day or not, all three young people were free to take care of the plan.

With Buffy's bedroom being on the second floor of the building, it didn't seem plausible for her to get down to the ground in any other way but by using the stairs, but this way she was bound to be caught. Instead Xander checked out the outside of the house and realised that, with some manoeuvring, his sister should be able to scale the trellis that held flowers and vines to the side of the house. Indeed, he was correct and she made it to the ground quite easily considering having no experience at all when it came to climbing of any kind. Xander himself, after claiming to feel much better now, told his mother he was just going over to his friend's house to pick up something and being already a little tipsy, she took it as a reasonable excuse.

Willow, as usual, was look out for everyone. She was to stay in Buffy's room, answer the phone if it happened to ring (unlikely at midnight, but still...) and if needs must she may have to pretend to be Buffy in the bed, hiding her head of red hair under the duvet so as not to be identified as merely the house keepers daughter.

Buffy was silent all the way to the cinema. It was almost totally in the centre between the 'good' and 'bad' side of town, really not belonging to either half. The road behind it was usually empty, inaccessible by car and rarely used at all, it would be quiet and neutral, and perfect for Buffy and Spike to meet. 

As Xander pulled the car up in front of the building and let Buffy out he wished her good luck and told her not to take too long. She nodded before hurrying to the back of the building, half excited about seeing Spike again, half pained at the thought that this was the last time.

"Spike!" she called as she caught sight of him. His back was to her at first but he spun around at the sound of he voice, smiling as he stamped out his cigarette on the ground.

"Buffy" he greeted as he moved toward her and kissed her briefly "What's going on?" he wanted to know "I got this weird call and..."

"It doesn't matter" she shook her head, setting free the tears that had been forming in her eyes "Oh God" she gasped as if she were in pain and buried her head in Spike's shoulder.

His arms slid around her, holding her as tight as her own grip was on him. She was really scaring him now.

"Whats the matter, luv?" he asked her after a few moments, pulling back a little to see her face, but keeping his arms locked around her "Has something happened?"

"No...and yes" she made no sense at all as she sobbed her way through her jumbled sentence "I had to see you, it isn't fair, but I had to say goodbye"

"You going somewhere?" he frowned in confusion "I don't understand.."

"I just, I won't be around anymore" she shook her head as if to emphasise the point of her future absence "but I had to see you" she begged him with her eyes to understand her situation without making her actually explain "once more, I had to..." she got no further with her words. So much emotion and sadness took her voice and her breath. Spike looked so confused and hurt. The pain in his beautiful eyes was sending daggers through her heart, his arms around her waist only reminded her of what she was losing, and the concern on his face only made her feel guilty for never telling him the truth about her life.

"Why won't you be around?" Spike asked her gently, desperate to help ease her pain somehow but really not understanding at all "You don't want to see me anymore?" he asked, a bolt of pure agony shooting through his heart at the very thought that she might have deceived him.

"No, no, it's not that I don't want to, I swear" she promised him, her eyes though full of pain and tears still held love for him, he could see that, she did speak the truth "oh God, Spike, if only you knew how much I wished things were different" she told him.

"If what things were different?" he begged her to explain as she tried to wipe away her tears "There's something you're not telling me, Buffy, there has to be"

"It's too complicated to explain" she shook her head again, desperate to clear the misty tears from her eyes and take him in properly just one more time.

"I have to see you again" Spike told her firmly, looking right into her eyes.

"You won't" Buffy informed him, a crack in her voice, despite her best efforts to be calm "you can't, please don't make this any harder than it already is"

"Buffy, we need to hurry" a voice called from the left and both she and Spike turned their heads to see Xander a few feet away, reminding the girl the quicker they were the easier it would be to cover the fact she'd left the house at all.

"Who the hell's that?!" Spike all but exploded and Buffy realised how it must look to him, she was telling him it was over and some other man appeared to be ordering her around.

"He's my brother" she said quickly, desperate to get Spike's attention back on her for these last few moments they had together "Spike, please, just accept that this has to be the end"

"Maybe I could accept it if I knew the reason why" he said almost sounding annoyed, it was all happening too fast and it made no sense to him at all.

"And I wish I could tell you" Buffy told him honestly "I truly do, but I can't...all I can say is I'm sorry and I love you" she said as clearly as she could, praying that if nothing else he understood just how much she meant those last three words.

"I love you too" he promised her "you know that"

Closing her eyes and leaning forward, Buffy brought her lips to his. Knowing this was the last time made it bittersweet for her but still it was magical and beautiful, as the most wonderful feelings she'd ever known swept over her in waves. 

When it finally came to the point when she needed to breathe and knew she had to leave him, Buffy pulled away. Not giving him a chance to catch his breath enough to beg her to stay, she hugged him briefly and whispered in his ear.

"Goodbye, Spike"

With that she finally let go of him, turned and ran back to her brother in his car who waited to get her home as fast as he legally could. 

Spike was left standing there, speechless, breathless, and alone.

****

Willow heard the car pull up outside and ran to the window, opening it up she watched as Xander helped Buffy onto the bottom of the trellis and waited there to make sure she climbed up safely. As soon as she was close enough to reach, Willow put her arms out of the open window and helped to pull her friend inside. Tears no longer ran down the blonde's face, she was in a sort of stunned silence and had been all the way home in the car, knowing she'd never see the man she loved again.

"I'm sorry, Buffy" the red-head sympathised as she closed the window behind her friend and turned to face her again, "Was it awful?"

"He was so hurt" Buffy said in a flat tone, "I can't believe it's over"

Willow decided not to ask anymore questions. She waited while Buffy changed into her nightwear and then made sure all the 'wild' clothes were hidden away.

When she came out of her best friends room, Xander was standing in the empty hall.

"Thanks for your help tonight, Will" he whispered and the red-head just shrugged in response.

"I'd do anything to help Buffy out" she told him "to help either of you really" her voice got less and less audible throughout her sentence, thoughts of the kisses she'd shared with his boy were flooding her mind as he stood before her now, looking so good and being so sweet about his sister and everything. Did he have to be so damn perfect?

"I feel so bad for her" she heard him say, meaning Buffy of course "but I can't believe she never told me about this guy before"

"She was just worried you wouldn't understand" Willow defended her best friend "He's not her 'class' or whatever" she air-quoted "and she thought you might react like she knew Lady Joyce would"

"I can't say I'm doing back flips over her falling for some backstreet Billy Idol wannabe" Xander said honestly, picturing in his mind the young man he'd seen just briefly "but I hate to see her so upset" he said with a shake of his head as he thought of his poor sister and how distraught she was.

"I guess you really can't help who you fall in love with" Willow whispered moving to walk away.

"No I guess not" Xander mumbled almost to himself as he realised Willow was making her exit. He turned and caught her arm "Look about what happened last night..." he began, all still whispered since it was so late and everyone was supposed to be asleep by now.

"Don't say it" Willow begged "I already know and it's okay, I understand that we're not the same and..."

He cut off her words by stilling her lips with his, kissing her all but breathless. A kiss that proved she did not know what he meant at all. A kiss that left her with no further doubt in her mind that he felt for her exactly what she felt for him.

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To Be Continued...

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[Next Update should be chapter 14 of 'Trouble With Boys']


	14. Loves Me, Loves Me Not

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A/N : *author ducks flying objects, hides behind one of the objects that has landed in front of her, waves a sign above her head with the words 'I'm sorry' on it in big letters* Seriously guys, let's just chill. Have a little faith in me, okay? Yeah, I know, the lack of Spuffy sucks right now, and I don't think you're gonna like this chapter much either, but please keep on reading cos I promise there will be a happy Spuffy ending, just give it time, and in the meantime, enjoy the W/X-ness. *runs and hides from possible negative reactions to this chapter* Despite the fact some of you were mad at me, I still appreciate the reviews, so thanks to; Veggie-Babu-Chan, rainbow2, Holy Trnity, ms trick, SweetBitter, buffspike, Rachel, SpIkEs AnGeL, luvin-echo16, Moluvsnumber17

(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)

Chapter 14 - Loves Me, Loves Me Not

It was Tuesday morning and Susan, the maid, answered the ringing of the main doorbell to find Liam 'Angel' O'Connor on the other side. He asked to see 'Lizzy' but was instead taken to the second sitting room, where Lady Joyce was partaking of breakfast, the liquid variety of course.

"Good Morning, Lady Summers" the young man greeted her, as he was brought into the room "I just came by to see Elizabeth, I was worried when she wasn't in school yesterday" he said with a frown as Lady Joyce sipped at her wine.

"Oh she'll be fine" she told the boy, waving away his concerns with her hand "it's just a little female affliction, shall we say" she smiled as she lied smoothly "Nothing serious"

"Could I see her?" Angel wanted to know, it'd been days since he'd seen his girlfriend and it was strange that she hadn't even called him.

"I don't think that would be a good idea" Joyce shook her head slightly, as she eyed the young man standing before her "but, if you have a moment, I'd like to speak with you" she smiled wider, gesturing for him to take a seat across from her.

"I don't wanna be late for school" Angel shifted uncomfortably, adjusting the book bag on his shoulder. He really did not want to spend time with his girlfriends crazy drunk of a mother.

"I won't take but a moment of your time" the Lady of the house urged him to sit down and with a silent sigh, Liam did as she asked. He was a little bemused when the woman sat in silence for several moments before finally turning her full attention on him and speaking quite loudly.

"You may think this is rather a strange question for me to ask you" Angel winced at that, wondering what was coming "but, do you love my daughter?"

"Yes, ma'am, I do" he answered without hesitation, despite being a little surprised by the bluntness of the question.

"I believe she loves you too, Liam" the older woman smiled, reaching a hand out to cover his "but may I suggest that she is told exactly how you feel" she advised, sipping her drink and withdrawing her hand again "I believe my daughter is very much as I was when I was young" she smiled wistfully as if remembering happier days of her life "She needs a young man on which she can rely, who is sure to be there for her..."

"I'll always be there for her" Angel cut in, despite the fact he'd been taught never to interrupt his elders, still Lady Joyce didn't seen to mind.

"I know that, Liam, I have every faith in you" she assured him "but Elizabeth needs to know how you really feel, she must understand that you are serious about spending your life with her...if that is true, of course" she raised a questioning eyebrow and Angel was getting increasingly uncomfortable discussing this relationship with his girlfriends mother.

"It is true" he nodded once "but I..."

"I don't wish to make your life decisions for you" Lady Joyce interrupted this time "naturally you must think carefully about it, and talk to your parents, I have no doubt, but I just thought I'd let you know my thoughts on the matter" she smiled once again as she watched the cogs turning in Angel's head, she'd certainly given him something to think about. As he realised what she was implying, he smiled and she was pleased to see it.  
"Thank you" he nodded as he stood, "I really should be getting to school now"

"Indeed" the Lady agreed "I will tell Elizabeth that you stopped by"

With that, Angel swept from the room, the smile still on his face as he left the Summers residence and made his way to school. 

In the hallway outside the sitting room where Lady Joyce still sat, a certain red-head put her hand to her mouth.

"Oh Goddess!" she gasped, almost unable to believe what she'd just heard. 

Lady Joyce wanted Angel to propose to Buffy?! This was so not of the good. She was about to run and warn her friend when the door opened and she bolted down the corridor as Lady Joyce emerged and moved toward the main staircase. She was headed towards Buffy's room herself, with news of the impending proposal. If her child was going to be so unruly, it seemed the only way to deal with her was for Liam to make an honest woman of her. It would cure her of her disgusting behaviour, of that Lady Joyce was certain.

"Elizabeth!" she called as she came into her daughters room. Buffy barely heard her as she lie in her bed, her back to the door, face still tear stained and her thoughts all on Spike "Honestly child, I know you are to keep to your room, but to stay in bed all day is just ridiculous..." her mother snapped "I know you're not asleep Elizabeth, you used to do this when you were a child" Buffy closed her eyes tight and willed her mother away, but Lady Joyce did not leave, "Very well" she sighed "I shall say what I came to say and then I'll go. Your young man, Liam O'Connor, was here just a moment ago, quite worried about you. I have high suspicions he might make you an offer in the not too distant future...if I were you Elizabeth, I would make the right choice, and I do believe you know what that is. Of course, if you make the wrong choice, there will be consequences..." she finished menacingly as she swept back out of the room, slamming the door behind her. 

And Buffy wept.

Willow had been half way to finding Xander when her mother had caught her and told her to get up to the second floor to help the maids to change the bed clothes there. She was fetching and carrying laundry when Xander almost ran straight into her.

"Hey" he smiled and she sighed, glad they had found each other.

"Xander I have to tell you something..." she began all in a hurry, until she noticed his less than happy expression, "Are you okay?" she checked.

"I just went passed Buffy's room" he told her sadly "she's still crying"

"I wish we could fix all this for her" Willow sighed equally as upset by all this as Xander, "and I think it's gonna get worse" she explained "I heard Lady Joyce talking to Angel about proposals"

"Oh God" Xander closed his eyes and looked pained. He knew what his mother was like when she got an idea in her head, and he had no doubt at all that Angel would agree to marrying Buffy, he loved her after all, that was obvious to everyone.

"It's awful that she can't be with the man she loves" Willow allowed herself one tiny smile as she advanced on Xander, adding "like me"

"Will, not here" he whispered harshly, putting his hands up to stop he coming closer. The red-head frowned as tears came to her eyes.

"But I thought...I thought you felt the same" she said shakily, making Xander feel sick. He didn't mean to hurt her. Gently taking hold of her wrist he pulled her into the corner, out of sight.

"I do" he assured her "you know that I do, but we can't just go around kissing and stuff where people can see us, you know my mom would burst a blood vessel and I'm pretty sure yours wouldn't be far behind" he explained, rationally, and though Willow did know he was right, she hated having to hide how happy she was just knowing Xander cared about her.

"But I love you" she told him honestly, as they looked into each others eyes.

"I know sweetie" Xander smiled, tucking a few strands of red hair behind her ear "and...God, I don't know how it happened" he shook his head lightly, though his gaze never left hers "but, I love you too" he said sincerely.

The tears in Willows eyes finally escaped down her cheeks until Xander carefully wiped them away with his thumbs.

"What's the matter?" he asked her softly.

"I can't believe it" the girl before him choked out "I dreamt it so many times but...I never thought...you really love me?" she checked, unable to believe it was real.

"Yeah" he smiled "I really do" as he checked no-one was around, before pulling her into his arms and kissing her, to prove just how much she really meant to him.

It was the next evening when Angel visited the Summers house again. Lady Joyce was of course thrilled to see him and told the nearest servant to show him to the south parlour whilst she herself fetched her daughter.

"Elizabeth!" she called as she entered Buffy's bedroom, to find her sitting on the wide window sill, looking out across the town "Well, at least you're out of bed today" her mother sighed "now be a good girl, if you remember how to be..." she told Buffy's back as she went into the wardrobe and produced a gown "and put on this dress, because Liam is waiting downstairs to speak to you, I think you can guess what about" she said as Buffy finally turned to look at her mother, tears in her eyes again, as she watched Lady Joyce smooth out the blue dress on the bed.

"Mom, I can't" Buffy choked out "I just..."

"I don't want to hear it Elizabeth" Lady Joyce snapped, heading for the door. She turned back just before she left and looked upon her daughter with some distaste "Your stubbornness comes from your father, I'm certain of it, I was never so argumentative. Now do as you are told, and try to remember you are my daughter and a lady..."

Buffy went back to looking out of the window, tears cascading down her face and sobs threatening to shake her whole body, as she tried to tune out her mothers words. How could she pledge her heart to Angel, agree to be his wife and lover forever, when her heart and head were so full of another man, of Spike. She loved the bleach blond that she barely knew, despite the fact she knew it should be impossible to fall so hard and fast.

As her mother finally left her alone, she turned to look at the dress on her bed. It was the embodiment of Elizabeth, but nothing like the real Buffy. Much like the clothes she'd worn to the Bronze, Buffy knew she must put that girl away in a box at the back of the closet and forget about her. Again she must be Elizabeth Summer, Lady Joyce's daughter and soon Elizabeth O'Connor, Liam's wife..what other choice did she have?

Ten minutes later, in the dress she hated and with her hair done as best she could in the short time she had, Buffy came into the room where Angel waited for her. She looked him up and down and realised with a silent sigh that she didn't even find him remotely attractive anymore, not when she could still see Spike in her minds eye.

"Lizzy, I feel like I haven't seen you in forever" Angel smiled at the sight of her and rushed to hug her close "Are you okay?" he checked as he pulled back, no doubt he noticed the tear tracks on her face.

"I'm fine" she lied, she'd had a lot of practice lately.

"That's good" Angel nodded obviously he believed her, and the two sat down on the nearest sofa together "I actually came here" Angel began somewhat nervously "because, well, I've been worrying about you so much these past few days, I realised that I wanted to be here to take care of you whilst you were going through, well, whatever it was..." he rambled, his hands playing with one of Buffy's and she knew what was coming, she felt sick. "Lizzy, I always want to be there for you, to take care of you and love you" Angel told her seriously, staring at her until she looked up from the floor and their eyes met "So, I wanted to ask..." he smiled as he dropped from the sofa onto one knee in front of her "will you marry me?"

Taking a deep breath and closing her eyes, steeling herself against emotions that wanted to drown her and thoughts of Spike that wanted to torture her, she found her voice beneath a sea of turmoil and forced the words she knew she must say passed the lump in her throat.

"Yes" she answered almost inaudibly, "Yes, I will"

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To Be Continued...

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[My next update will be in a few days on Trouble With Boys :-)]


	15. It's My Party And I'll Cry If I Want To

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A/N : I had one of the worst days in the histiry of forever today! But fic waits for now woman, so here's the new chapter. Thanx to the wonderful reviewers; RougeCrayon, SpIkEs AnGeL, luvin-echo16, Veggie_Babu-chan, B/S Rox, SweetBitter, buffspike, SouthernRain, courtney, meg, ms trick, Rachel, Chucky, cluelessS - I know I kinda upset everyone with the B/A-ness, but trust me and keep reading. There's a nice surprise at the end of the chapter... This chapter is dedicated to my mate Aleesha, who seems to have had a bad day too - hope you enjoy this! Oh, and everyone please review!!!

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(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)

Chapter 15 - It's My Party (And I'll Cry If I Want To)

A week passed. It should have got easier for Buffy, but it didn't, not really. She missed Spike terribly and hated the fact she was being forced into marrying Angel.

Her 'fiance' seemed to always be around now, wanting to see her, wanting to take her out to places, show off the fact he'd bagged the prettiest girl in Sunnydale or whatever. All Buffy wanted to do was go back to the Bronze and see Spike and live a night that would go on forever so she'd never have to face her mother or marry Angel or do anything she didn't want to ever again.

Willow did her best to comfort her best friend when she could and Xander fussed over his sister too. When alone, the housekeepers daughter and the man of the house had a relationship no-one knew anything about. They continued to meet in secret, to talk, to kiss, to tell each other just how much they loved each other. They'd agreed the day after Buffy and Angel's engagement, that they would wait to tell her about their love for each other. There was no way they could tell her how happy they were when she was so miserable.

Today was the day of a party, specifically an engagement party to celebrate the union between Elizabeth Summers and Liam 'Angel' O'Connor. It was of course Lady Joyce's plan, these things always were. The O'Connor's agreed to have the party held at the Summers residence and allowed the future brides mother to make all the arrangements. Lady Joyce really threw herself into it, which in some ways was a benefit. Whilst she was party-planning she didn't seem to be drinking, but she seemed to want Elizabeth's opinion on everything and Buffy was less than happy about it.

"Now, it seems almost everyone will be coming" Lady Joyce told her daughter, scanning over two large pieces of paper "which is as it should be...oh, except Lord and Lady Anderson are in Aspen, they can't make it, and the old Sir Jenkins is having another of his unfortunate illnesses, but other than that I do believe we have all those worth inviting coming to your party, my dear" she beamed as she checked her guest list over one last time, and spoke at a mile a minute.

'My party' Buffy scoffed inside her head 'It's her party, not mine' she shook her head slightly as she turned to walk away, but Lady Joyce hadn't finished yet.

"Oh and some new people are coming" she informed her daughter who attempted to look as if she cared but failed miserably "to be honest I have yet to meet them. It seems that a wealthy business man from England has recently arrived in Sunnydale, a Sir Giles of London. He has yet to be seen in social circles but I'm pleased to say he has accepted our invitation along with his son...the poor man lost his wife when the boy was just a child...it's a burden, I know" she sighed, but Buffy wasn't really listening as she tried to get away again.

"Sounds fine Mom" she said, a fake smile on her lips "I should go and change" was her excuse as she exited the room and moved quickly up the stairs. Tonight was going to be hell, but she'd deal, she'd have to. 'It'll be just like acting' she told herself in her head as she took her new evening dress from her closet, 'I'll play the role of the refined young woman, completely in love with her fiancé' she forced back tears as she realised just how much of a lie it all was. Her heart left her body the day she left Spike, standing alone behind that cinema. Every time she closed her eyes she could still see his face, the pain in his eyes that she had caused. 

Buffy would play her part tonight, and every night, the performance of a life time, but inside she would forever be in love with Spike, and nothing could change that.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

"Hey sweetie" Xander smiled as he found Willow alone in the laundry room.

"Hi" she grinned back at him as he walked over to her and kissed her briefly. She carried on working as he leant on the wall beside her, just watching her.

"Looks like Buff's party is gonna be a swell affair" he commented. Willow sighed.

"I guess...but she's not happy Xand" she said, turning to face him, looking as if she might cry from just thinking about her best friends situation.

"She didn't seem so bad today" Xander tried to comfort her, though he knew it was a half lie. Buffy had seemed a little better today, but only because her acting skills were improving.

"She hides emotions well" Willow shrugged, pushing a pile of laundry aside and sitting down on the edge of the table "she has too" she said, quietly watching her shoes "I know what that's like"

"Hey now" Xander lifted her chin with his fingers "You know I love you, right?" he checked, worried about where this conversation was going.

"Of course I know" she smiled a little, taking hold of his hand "I just wish..."

"I know, honey" he interrupted, kissing her hand that held his "and me too" he agreed, knowing what she meant. She wanted the whole world to know how in love they were "Not yet but soon, soon we'll tell everyone" he promised her, though he wasn't sure he ever wanted to tell his mother, she went crazy enough over Buffy and sneaking out, she'd totally flip over his relationship with 'the hired help'.

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~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

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Buffy used to love parties. When she was a kid, she was always only too happy to be bought a new dress and have her hair curled and styled like a big girl. She was allowed to stay up late, and eat trifle and cake, and there was music and dancing for hours. Now, as she stood outside the doors to the ballroom of her house, the sound of music and many chattering guests leaking through from the other side, her heart hammered in her chest not from excitement but from nerves and panic. She had to go in there and face all these people with a fake smile painted on her face, a false laugh at the ready for all the bad jokes that would be told, and a make-believe-love in her eyes so no-one would suspect she no longer cared for Angel.

"Lizzy, sweetheart, you look beautiful" said his familiar voice as soon as she made it through the doors. Immediately his hand locked on her arm and she knew it would most likely be there all night.

Buffy felt like a dreadful fraud as she smiled and nodded her way around the room, friends, neighbours, and even complete strangers wishing her congratulations on her engagement, and telling her what a wonderful couple her and Liam made.

Just as Buffy thought she could stand it no longer her mother came over.

"Liam, your mother would like to speak with you dear" she smiled to the young man, the smell of alcohol already evident on her breath and the giddy grin on her face confirming to Buffy that mother was wasted again.

Angel kissed his fiancee on the cheek and excused himself as he went to find Lady O'Connor. Buffy closed her eyes as his lips hit her face, feeling guilty and horribly sick as she pictured Spike kissing her instead.

"He is such a charming boy" Lady Joyce sighed, making her daughter's eyes shoot open. She let out a breath she didn't know she'd been holding when she realised it was Angel she spoke of, for a moment she'd wondered if her mother was a mind-reader!

"Mom" the blonde girl said shakily "I think I have a headache coming on" she tried to look ill and it didn't take much effort, as she put a hand to her head for emphasis, but there was no way she was going to be let out of this party, she should have known better than to try.

"Really Elizabeth" Lady Joyce snapped "you can't be considering walking out on your own engagement party"

"I just..." Buffy sighed, only to be completely ignored by her mother as the older woman dragged a late arrival over to her side.

"Oh Sir Giles, such a pleasure to have you here" she beamed, as the man in question took her hand and kissed it.

"Lady Summers" he greeted in his gentle English accent "thank you so much for inviting us"

"The pleasure is all mine" the woman assured him, still smiling widely "Sir Giles" she introduced "I'd like you to meet my daughter, Elizabeth"

Buffy managed a half smile as the seemingly pleasant man looked at her.

"Ah yes, congratulations on your engagement Miss Summers" he said, kindly, before looking around and then back at the two ladies before him "My son, William, is around here somewhere. I seem to have misplaced him" he half laughed with embarrassment, what sort of idiot 'misplaced' his son? But then William was a headstrong boy and prone to not exactly doing what was expected or a knighted man's son.

"Not to worry" Lady Joyce smiled, waving a hand to dismiss the gentleman's worries "I'm sure he'll turn up. May I offer you a drink, Sir Giles?" she said, showing him the way to the bar.

"Please, it's just Giles" the man smiled back, "and yes, thankyou, I'd love a drink"

As he turned to walk away with Buffy's mother, his elusive son appeared and called behind him.

"Hey Dad, I..."

The man didn't hear him as he disappeared amongst the throngs of people, but Buffy did and as she turned to see the person from which the voice had come she got the shock of her life.

"Spike?!"

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To Be Continued...


	16. Spiked

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A/N : Wow, so many reviews on this fic! I guess you're all liking it then, huh? lol. Thanx muchly to everyone who wrote a lovely review for me - Aleesha, SweetBitter, aphelant, luvin-echo16, Spike's Hottie, courtney, Rachel, barcode-babe-210, Brittany, buffspike, Noreen, ms trick, charles, SpIkEs AnGeL, Moluvsnumber17, Spikes-gal787, SouthernRain, RougeCrayon, golden+girl736, spikezbaybee, Veggie-Babu-chan. You guys are all so cool! Hope you like this next chapter. Just another three maybe four chapters to go after this one I think, if all goes according to plan :-)

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(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)

Chapter 16 - Spiked

"Spike?!" Buffy gasped, almost unable to believe what she was seeing. He looked different, out of his usual black and leather look, instead dressed in a smart dark grey suit, but there was no mistaking it was him. No-one else had hair that bright or eyes that deep.

"Buffy?" Spike was equally as shocked to see her as she was to see him. He took her in from blonde hair to strappy sandals, eyes wide at the sight of her in her evening dress, so far from the attire he'd seen her in before now.

Though a hundred thoughts ran through both their minds, the most prominent words were more or less the same in both their heads - If it's possible I think s/he looks even more gorgeous like this than s/he did before!

As thrilled as Buffy was to see the man she had only dreamt of seeing again, she was far too aware of where they were and what event they were attending. Grabbing Spike's wrist she pulled him to one side and hissed in a sharp whisper;

"What the hell are you doing here?"

She didn't mean to sound so harsh. In reality she was thrilled just to be in the same room as him again but it didn't solve anything, especially not now, she was engaged to Angel! This was her engagement party!

"Could ask you the same thing, pet" Spike grinned, not realising what had her so distressed "You look a little different to the last time I saw you" he commented "but then I guess I do too" he half frowned, he hated the way he looked in a suit, much preferred denim and leather.

Buffy didn't even hear him as she scanned the room full of people, desperate to keep an eye on where her mother and her 'fiancé' were.

"So this is why you called it all off?" Spike asked her with a puzzled look, before smiling again, "Thought you were too good for me, eh?"

"Yeah, well, kind of..." Buffy admitted, she shook her head to clear the fog in it, everything was getting so muddled up "You're Sir Giles's son?" she checked.

"For my sins" Spike shrugged, and Buffy couldn't help but laugh at the absurdity of it all.

"I can't believe it" she said, still shaking her head as she took in the sight of this man she'd shared several evenings with, never revealing her true identity and never knowing his until tonight.

"It's true" Spike said, suddenly becoming much more serious "Oh God Buffy, you've got no idea how much I've missed you" he told her "the thought of never seeing you again, it nearly killed me" his hands went to her waist as he moved his head down to kiss her, still completely unaware of who she truly was.

"No, Spike, it's no good" she said, pushing his hands away and hating the fact she had to do it. She backed up a couple of steps and winced at the pain in his eyes as he spoke to her.

"What? Why not? What's to stop us being together now?" he needed to know "I love you, I thought you loved me too?" 

He just couldn't take all of this in, first he lost this girl, now he'd found her again, and here she was backing away from him like he was contagious with something!

"I do love you" she whispered, afraid she might be heard "you'll never know how much but, you don't understand..." she tried to explain, tears forming in her eyes, but half way through her sentence, she was interrupted by the worst possible person.

"Lizzy, I've been looking all over for you" said Angel as he appeared at her side "It's our party, we can't hide in corners all night" he mock-scolded her with a smile, but Buffy wasn't in the mood for jokes. And neither was Spike.

"Your party?" the bleach blond frowned, the cogs in his head already working over-drive, he just didn't know how to process what was going on.

"Hi, I don't think we've met" Angel's smile slipped as he turned to the man he'd found talking to his future wife.

"Er, Angel" Buffy sighed, trying to keep a hold on her emotions "this is Sp..."

"William Giles" Spike interrupted, giving his 'official name' "And you're Angel apparently?"

"Liam O'Connor, my friends call me Angel" the taller man held out his hand to the other.

"Interesting nickname" 'William' commented, grasping the offered hand briefly, "How'd you get it?" he asked, before shaking his head "Y'know what actually, don't tell me" he told a confused Angel "with you looking like such a nancy boy and everything, I think I can guess" he smirked.

"Watch your mouth, Will" Angel all but growled but the other young man was unphased.

"Call me Spike, please" he continued to smirk and Buffy watched the whole thing wishing the floor would swallow her while the two guys weren't looking.

"Spike?" Angel echoed the strange name, although it was no stranger than Angel really.

"Yeah, you're not the only one with an interesting nickname" Spike nodded, before getting right in Angel's face "but I guarantee" he said in a menacingly low voice "you're not man enough to hear the tale behind mine"

Before Angel could reply or any kind of fight could ensue, Lady Joyce interrupted and for once Buffy was glad her mother was being both drunk and loud.

"May I have everybody's attention..." she all but yelled, waving a glass in one hand and a hors-d'œurve in the other, a rather embarrassed Sir Giles standing to the side of her, "Elizabeth, Liam" she smiled at her daughter and her soon to be son-in-law "today is about the two of you and the love you share" 

Buffy couldn't bare to look at Spike as he suddenly realised what was going on.

"You've made us so proud as you have grown up and we know you will continue to make us proud as you travel through life together" Joyce continued a huge and stupid grin on her face "Congratulations on your engagement, kids"

Buffy felt sick as Spike brushed past her and all but ran from the hall. She wished she could run after him but Angel held her hand tightly, smiling down at her, so proud and in love. She smiled back as best she could, trying to put Spike from her mind, but he would never be gone, she knew that now, more than ever.

"To Elizabeth and Liam, forever" Lady Joyce concluded, knocking back her latest double vodka in one.

"To Elizabeth and Liam, forever" the crowd echoed, drinks raised.

"To Buffy and Angel" Xander whispered to himself, deliberately missing off the forever part. His sister would make the biggest mistake of her life if she married for anything less than true love, and he hoped to God she wasn't that stupid.

* * * * *

As soon as she got the chance, Buffy removed herself from Angel's grasp and hurriedly tried to find Spike. He hadn't gone far, and she found him in the main foyer, pacing and mumbling to himself in sheer frustration, or so it seemed.

"Spike!" she called, running to him, tears already in her eyes as she knew she'd caused him so much pain.

"That's why you really left" he snapped, stepping back as she came toward him "It's why you said goodbye to me, you were engaged!" he fumed "I'm such an idiot!" he laughed manically at himself as he shook his head, making Buffy's tears finally fall down her cheeks.

"No, no, Spike you're not" she assured him, putting her hands to his face and making him look at her "I am, but you, oh God you're everything I'll ever want, and the only man I'll ever love" she told him, pulling him close to her and sobbing on his shoulder. He couldn't be so angry with her, when she was so broken and upset. He hugged her to him and tried to calm down.

"Then explain to me why you're marrying that great git!" he said as patiently as he could. After a long moment, Buffy raised her head from his shoulder and looked up at him with red-rimmed eyes.

"I don't want to" she assured him "I used to think I did but then I realised what a better life I could have" she said in all honesty "and after I met you, oh Spike you've no idea what I've been through with all this. All I have is here and I was afraid of what my mother might do" she tried so hard not to cry but it was hard. Here before her was the man she loved, the man she now knew was someone even her mother might accept and it was all too late. If she broke off her engagement with Angel there'd be a social uproar and her mother would never forgive her.

"So what happens now?" Spike asked cautiously, still holding onto this girl as if his life depended on her, his future certainly did, of that he was sure.

"I don't know..." she told him sadly "I guess we just have to forget about each other"

"Forget you?" he echoed incredulously "Buffy, I could never..." he trailed off as he looked into her eyes and knew without doubt she felt the same. She was just scared. A little girl that had got out of her depth and needed someone to be strong for her, to tell her how to deal with what she was feeling.

Not knowing what to say to her, Spike leaned down and kissed her instead. He poured all that he felt for her into that one moment, that one kiss, unable to know whether it'd be their last.

And from a few feet away, a young man watched the scene, sick with jealousy and angry beyond words, as his fiancee revelled in the feeling of being in her true loves arms.

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To Be Continued...


	17. Broken

**A/N : Hey! I am so smiley right now cos I got so many reviews :). SweetBitter, Rachel, SouthernRain, luvin-echo16, SpIkEs AnGeL, Spuffy101, aphelant, buffspike, Jenny, Ahna the Bloody, courtney, spikezbaybee, ms trick, katie, sam, Aleesha, mary. You guys are the best, thanks muchly for all the nice things you said. Here is the next chapter, and if anyone felt even slightly sorry for angel last chapter, you won't in a minute...   
_(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)_**

Chapter 17 - Broken

The night of Buffy Summers engagement party, and where was she? Not in the ballroom with her future husband and her guests, but out in the hall between the front doors and the main staircase, locked in the arms of another man - the man she was in love with.

Buffy gripped onto Spike like her life depended on it, as she asked the question she desperately wished she had an answer to.

"What are we gonna do now?"

"I don't know, pet" Spike admitted, hugging her equally as close, "Right now you should go back to your party" he said finally letting up his hold on her a little and looking into her face with a frown "they'll all be wondering where you are"

"But...I have to see you again" she replied desperately, her hands still clinging to his arms as she forced back tears "I never should have said goodbye" she told him, feeling so guilty that she had.

Seeing such pain in her eyes made Spike feel more wretched than anything else ever had and he dealt with it the only way he knew how to. He leaned in and kissed her again, trying to show her just how much he loved her, and not having time to explain all that he was feeling.

"We'll work something out" he said as he pulled away from her again "I promise" he tried to smile and encourage her to do the same but it was too hard. They both knew her mother could easily stop her from being with this man and there'd be a social scandal if Buffy broke off her recent engagement to Liam.

Reluctantly the girl pulled herself out of Spike's arms and glanced back towards the ballroom where the party was being held. She took two steps towards it before turning back, with a look that said she really didn't want to walk away, not this time. He nodded, telling her without words that she had to leave him, at least for a while, but there was no way he was going to lose her. He'd fallen for her not knowing what she really was, but knowing _who_ she was and that was far more important. 

Spike watched Buffy pause outside the door, check herself in the mirror on the wall and take a deep breath before re-joining the party. He sighed as he planned to hang around a while before going back in there himself, telling his father he felt ill and hoping they could go home as soon as possible. There was no way he could watch Buffy from across the room and not want to be near her, to hold her, and kiss her, and...

"So that's why Lizzy's been acting so weird around me" a voice interrupted the bleached blonds thoughts and he turned sharply, only to find a fist that struck him across the nose. The surprise made him stagger but not quite fall as he held his face in his hands and felt blood trickle down his fingers "All this is because of you" Angel sneered, circling the other young man like a predator.

"Don't know what you're on about" Spike lied blatantly. In any normal circumstance he'd have been fighting back in an instant, pummelling the bloke that dared to lay a hand on him into the ground, but this was Buffy's house or her mothers at least, and this guy had a right to be hacked off if he'd just caught the visual of what his 'fiancee' had been doing with Spike.

"Funny...I'm sure I just saw you with your tongue down my girl's throat" Angel said, menacingly, stopping his movement right in front of his 'enemy' "I should really make you pay for that"

"You just try it, mate" Spike replied, in a voice just as low, wiping the blood from his nose with the back of his hand before putting both arms into a more fight-ready stance "I'll have you on the ground before you even move" he promised, the violent part of his personality over-riding his earlier rational thoughts about keeping calm.

"Oh, so that's what it is" Angel almost laughed as he looked his rival up and down "Lizzy think I'm too nice or something? Needs a little action from some wannabe bad-ass?" he smirked, as Spike got more and more annoyed, his jaw clenched as his anger got ready to explode like Vesuvius inside of him "But hey, you probably did me a favour" Angel shrugged "I mean if I get myself a wife I don't want to be sharingwith half the town"

With that he turned to walk away but he'd gone one step too far for Spike. The bleached blond spun the brunette around by his arm, smacking him clean across the face with his fist. Angel brought his hands up to defend himself but Spike knew if he started fighting he'd end up killing this scum. He didn't care for himself, but he didn't know how it would affect Buffy's opinion of him, and that was what mattered the most to him right now.

"You bastard!" he shot at the second man to get a bloody nose today as he turned and stormed away in frustration, as Xander watched the whole thing from behind a pillar on the other side of the foyer. As soon as he saw Angel head back to the party, blood dripping down his shirt, Buffy's twin knew there was going to be trouble and that his sister was going to be on the receiving end of another of Lady Joyce's drunken fits. It had gone on too long, and their mother had gone too far. Buffy had a chance to be truly happy and Xander was going to make sure she was, whatever it took.

* * * * *

Angel staggered back into the party, immediately searching out his parents who were standing by the buffet table, drinking punch.

"Liam, whatever's happened?" his father asked, immediately concerned by the sight of his son covered in blood and clearly in pain.

"The engagement is off" he choked out too loudly, making other guests stare as he wiped blood from his nose up his sleeve "I am not marrying that slut!" he announced "She has some freak boyfriend and he hit me!" he raved, his mothers arms immediately going around him as she realised he was really suffering.

"Oh my darling boy" she soothed, taking out a handkerchief, fussing and trying to clean him up the way mothers do "We have to do something about this, Joseph" the little blonde woman told her husband with a stern look, and he knew better than to argue with her. Sometimes he thought she loved their son more than she loved him.

"And we will do something, Darla" the man assured his wife, who was several years younger than himself "Lady Summers!" he bellowed across the room, causing several of the nearby nobles to jump and spill drinks down their expensive outfits.

"Lord O'Connor, whatever is going on?" the more-than-slightly inebriated Lady asked with concern as she came over to the man that had called to her. She observed the fierce looks on both the O'Connors faces and then the state of their son with blood still dripping from his face, wondering what on earth could have occurred.

"Your daughter is a disgrace" Lord Joseph announced to half the room, whilst his wife fussed around Angel, angry tears in her eyes, disgusted that someone would hurt her sweet boy whom she loved so dearly.

"I beg your pardon?" Lady Joyce gasped, still reeling from her daughter being called a disgrace and in front of all the decent people from Sunnydale and beyond!

"I think you heard me!" the angry man told her "She had some delinquent boy assault my son!"

Lady Joyce breathed deeply determined not to faint from the shock of what was happening, part of her mind already whirring with the possible punishments Elizabeth would receive for this outrage. Lord and Lady O'Connor stood waiting for her reply and she was suddenly very aware that the whole room was also eager to hear what she had to say. Closing her eyes briefly, she breathed deeply once more, turning to the crowd with a fake smile on her face and speaking sweetly and politely.

"Excuse me everyone, due to some rather unfortunate circumstances this gathering must be cut short. I apologise for this and thankyou all for coming, I'm sure we'll see you again soon" she said, loud enough to be heard but far less drunken than her earlier speech had been. Your daughter being called a disgrace and getting the blamefor mindless violence tended to sober a mother up rather quickly.

All the nobility in attendance spoke in animated whispers as they left the ballroom, collected their coats and exited the Summers abode. Lady Joyce had no doubt she'd be the talk of the town by morning just as she'd planned, but this was not the way she expected it to happen.

Elizabeth and Liam's engagement, their happiness and love, this match that was presumed to be made in heaven should have been the biggest social event in Sunnydale, or possibly in the whole state, but now the Summers name was the centre of a scandal, and that was not the kind of thing Lady Joyce wanted public attention for. Elizabeth would be in deep trouble when she caught up with her, but first she had to deal with the O'Connors.

Angel had by now managed to escape his mother and father. As much as he liked the idea of Spike and Lizzy getting what was coming to them, there was only so much of his parents fussing he could take, especially in public. He managed to slip away to a bathroom and clean himself up to a modest extent. As he exited the room he literally ran into a young brunette girl.

"Hey Angel" she smiled, but he just frowned.

"Now's really not a good time, Cordelia" he told her, moving to walk away, but she was determined. The O'Connor's were even richer than the Summers, and Angel was the most eligible bachelor in Sunnydale, and if Lizzy didn't want him...

"I'm sorry" she called behind him "It's just, I wanted to say, well I overheard some stuff and...Lizzy's a fool for letting you go" she told him, making him turn around and pay attention to her as she knew he would.

"I'm not so sure she'd agree with that" he replied, his hand absently going to his bruised face.

"Are you okay" Cordy asked taking a step toward him, and reaching her hand out to cover his "I mean, is it painful?"

"Not so much now..." he admitted, causing her to blush uncharacteristically and smile a little.

"Looks like your parents are a little occupied" Cordelia noticed as she moved her hand away again "You wanna go some place, and maybe talk a while?" she suggested, as they both looked over at Lord and Lady O'Connor having a severely nasty looking discussion with Lady Joyce.

"Yeah" Angel nodded that he'd like very much to spend some time with this girl. If Lizzy was too stupid to see what a great guy he was, it didn't matter, and spending time with Cordelia wouldn't hurt anyone, he could use an ego boost after all.

_To Be Continued..._


	18. Anything For Love

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A/N : First of all, thanks for all the reviews - buffspike, spuffysis, Spuffy101, SweetBitter, spikezbaybee, SpIkEs AnGeL, Veggie-Babu-Chan, SouthernRain, Courtney37, william, brenda. Second of all, I would have posted this chapter before but I was kind of waiting for ff.net to iron out it's problems. Due to their mail backlog I didn't get any Review or Author Alerts in days and now I'm getting hundreds, mostly duplicates! Anyway, I know some people read this chapter on my own site Sparkling Eternity but here it is for those who missed it. (Just a couple more chapters to go after this one!)

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(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)

Chapter 18 - Anything For Love

As soon as Angel had gone back to the party, Xander knew what was going to happen. There was going to be yelling and cursing, talks of scandals and improper behaviour, and the person who would receive the most punishment would be Buffy. There was no way he was going to let it happen.

Xander followed the angry Spike through the house and out of the side door, where he found him sitting on a bench in the summerhouse, looking out across the gardens. He looked a little calmer, Xander was glad to see that, but he clearly wasn't happy at all.

"Hey" the brunette said carefully as he walked in, Spike's head immediately swivelled to look up at him from his seat.

"What do you want?!" he snapped at the stranger, and usually the brunette would have been annoyed at such a question from a guest at his home, but he cut the guy some slack because of who he was and what had happened tonight.

"I'm Xander" he introduced, holding out a hand "Buffy's brother" he added, to make things clearer.

Spike looked at him, then slowly nodded as he took the offered hand and shook it.

"I remember" he said, as thoughts of the night Buffy had said goodbye to him came flooding back.

There was a brief silence as both mens minds were elsewhere and Xander sat down next to Spike on the bench.

"I saw what you did to Angel" he said eventually.

"What are you gonna do about it?" Spike immediately snapped, thinking he could easily knock this poof down if he had to, though he probably shouldn't given he was Buffy's brother...

"Nothing" Xander said simply "except maybe say thank you" Spike looked surprised at that, so he explained, "I heard what he said. If you hadn't have hit him I would've" Xander said seriously, before adding "though I doubt I'd have done it as well as you did"

Both young men smiled at that. If there was one thing Spike had learnt to do it was to defend himself and those around him. He doubted that fist-fighting was something Xander had ever learnt to do. The young Summers had been brought up to be a gentleman, Spike's father had made his fortune later in life, meaning they were more average people, just with the added bonus of cash.

Silence reigned once again as the sky grew darker and Xander realised he was running out of time to do what he'd planned.

"Do you love my sister?" he suddenly blurted out, shocking the bleach blond beside him to a certain degree.

"Look, I don't know what Buffy told you or..." he began to ramble uncharacteristically, but this love thing was new to him. He'd never felt anything like this for anyone before. It had taken a lot for him to admit his feelings to himself and Buffy, but now her brother was basically asking him what his intentions were and it panicked him a little.  
"I don't think you heard my question" Xander dared to interrupt, knowing there wasn't time for big speeches, just answers "This is kind of a yes or no deal" he clarified, looking Spike in the eye "Do you love my sister?"

With total sincerity, and more certain in that moment of his feelings than at any other time in his life, Spike gave his answer.

"Yes, more than I've ever loved anyone in my life"

Xander smiled, thankful that he'd received the response he wanted. Buffy clearly loved this man more than anything, and he knew her heart would surely break completely if it turned out he didn't really feel the same. But he'd just admitted it and with such honesty that Xander did not doubt him for a second.

"That's all I needed to know" he told Spike, as he stood up and hurried back the way they had come. Spike frowned and called behind him;

"What are you going to do?"

"What I have to" Xander told him simply, turning back just briefly "don't go anywhere" he added, before he disappeared. He only hoped that Spike would trust him and stay where he was. 

* * * * *

Next job on the agenda was to find Buffy, and that might prove difficult. Xander made it back to the party just in time to catch half the guests leaving, muttering things about Angel and Buffy and some 'violent delinquent'. He knew amongst all of this, his sister would have slipped away and hidden somewhere. He only hoped she'd run where he expected her to.

Down the back corridor, he found her on the basement stairs, crying on Willow.

"Buffy" her brother got her attention, and the red-head's too by default "Spike is in the summerhouse, go to him and then get out of here" he instructed simply, pulling her to her feet.

"What's going on?" Willow asked, bemused by it all. She'd got little explanation out of her sobbing friend, too much emotion had taken her voice away.

"Short version -" Xander sighed, knowing there was no time for anything else as he hurried the girls down the corridor "Angel said some stuff, Spike hit him for it and it's caused a riot... but the guy loves you Buff" Xander smiled in spite of himself as he looked down at his sisters tear-stained face.

"But I can't be with him" she began to cry again "Mom'll go crazy if..."

"Let me worry about her" her brother said, taking charge for once "Just go" he insisted as Willow watched him, proud to know he was her man, even if it was only in secret right now.

* * * * *

Buffy managed to sneak past the leaving guests and ran to the summerhouse to find Spike. He was no longer sitting on the bench where Xander had left him but was pacing up and down the small space, clearly agitated and hating not knowing what was going on.

"Hey" Buffy managed a smile as she ran to him and hugged him close.

"Hey sweetheart" he greeted her with a kiss, also smiling as it ended, still holding her in his arms.

"Your face" she frowned, bringing a hand up to the bloody area near his nose.

"Don't worry about it" Spike shook his head "I'm fine" he assured her, really not feeling the pain whilst she was there with him "I think your brother has a plan" he told her and Buffy nodded.

"Looks like" she agreed "He said we should get out of here"

"You sure you want to" Spike checked, looking her right in the eye "I mean, I doubt there'll be a whole lot of choice about coming back?" he was panicking the whole time that she'd realise she didn't love him that much. She surprised him when she laughed out loud.

"This is probably the craziest thing I've ever done" she giggled from excitement and nerves "but, Spike, I love you" she told him sincerely "and that's all I need to be sure about"

That was all he needed to hear, he was sure he loved her and she'd assured him of her own feelings. Grabbing her hand, he smiled and said;

"Let's go"

* * * * *

Thankfully no-one noticed as the man in the charcoal grey suit and the girl in the royal blue dress ran down the side of the house and dodged in another side entrance, stepping out into the hallway and grabbing Sir Giles as he came past. The shocked man looked strangely at his son as he was yanked to one side by him.

"Dad, we need to leave" Spike said hurriedly, his eyes constantly searching the area, making sure Angel and Lady Joyce weren't around, or anyone else who might try to stop Buffy leaving with him.

"Yes, I know that" Giles nodded, believing his son meant that everyone had to leave, as he'd been told, because the party had come to an abrupt end. It was then he noticed Spike's injury "Whatever has happened, William?" he frowned.

"Long story" Spike said simply, the hand that wasn't gripping Buffy's absently touching the side of his face that was rapidly bruising "This is Buffy" he said next, pulling on her hand to bring her from behind him to his side "and I love her and I need to get her out of here" he explained as simply as he could.

Giles' brow creased further as he looked at the blonde beside his son.

"Miss Summers?" he realised "But I..."

"Please Dad" Spike interrupted, knowing how his father was prone to ramble, especially when something baffled him, and they really didn't have time right now "I know this needs a huge amount of explaining" he said quickly "and I'll tell you everything, I swear, just please, I can't leave her here"

"Is she in danger?" Sir Giles whispered worriedly "Are you?"

"Well, no" Spike conceded "not the way you think but..."

"Sir Giles" Buffy interrupted, just wanting to take this one opportunity and get away as soon as possible "I don't know how to begin to explain how all this happened" she told him "but I'm in love with your son, and I'd really appreciate it, for reasons I promise to explain very soon, if you could give me a ride to your house and spare me a room for tonight" she said desperately.

The pleading looks on both this girl's and his son's faces made Sir Giles cave immediately. How could he say no to them?

"Well, what can I say except, let's go?" he shrugged, hurrying them out of the door.

"Thanks Dad" Spike smiled genuinely, momentarily not worrying about the explanations that would be required and the problems that might arise later. The only thing that mattered right now was that he'd got Buffy, and in a more solid way than he ever had before. She was all he wanted, of that he was certain.

* * * * *

Back in the house, Lady Joyce was glad as she watched Lord and Lady O'Connor finally leave her home. Almost all the guests were out or on their way out, and she had managed to convince the O'Conners to find their son, take him home, and worry about everything else tomorrow. Fortunately for Joyce, Lady Darla's concern for her son's welfare far out-weighed her loathing of Elizabeth and she immediately went to locate her 'darling boy' and vacate the house.

Lady Joyce fixed herself a stiff drink and collapsed into the nearest chair. Elizabeth needed a serious talk about her future, but right now her mother just wanted to relax and drink herself to oblivion - well, why break the habit of a lifetime?

Her quiet reverie was broken as the double doors burst open, making her physically jump in her seat. She turned to see her son framed in the doorway, arms firmly folded over his chest.

"Mom" he said sternly "we need to talk..."

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To Be Continued...

** A/N2 - All my fic can now also be found at my new archive 'Sparkling Eternity' [see my profile page for the URL]   
and for anyone who is reading Oh Brother!, the next chapter will be posted both here and there later today or tomorrow!**


	19. Truth Be Told

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A/N : Well, it's almost the end of this fic. I have one more chapter and an epilogue to write after this. Thanks to everone who reviewed the previous chapter; sweeto3baybee, SpIkEs AnGeL, Shy, SouthernRain, Veggie-Babu-chan, buffspike, Courtney37, nice to know you're all still enjoying this. Now I think it's time for Xander to tell his mother what she really needs to be told... Enjoy! ;-)

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(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)

Chapter 19 - Truth Be Told

Lady Joyce's quiet reverie was broken as the double doors burst open, making her physically jump in her seat. She turned to see her son framed in the doorway, arms firmly folded over his chest.

"Mom" he said sternly "we need to talk..."

"Alexander, whatever is going on?" his mother snapped in outrage, planning to stand up but finding she didn't have the strength right now, so she stayed seated as her son came toward her.

"Your daughter just did the most sensible thing she ever did in her life" he informed her "She left this place, with the man she loves, William Giles"

"That ruffian!" Lady Joyce wailed "He assaulted the O'Connor's boy"

"Assaulted?" Xander reached incredulously "He hit him once, and I don't blame him" he explained "Angel hit him first, and he basically called your daughter a whore! You expect Spike to stand by and not do something about it?!" he was appalled by his mothers attitude, and had been for so long. All the emotion had built up to a point where it had to escape and my God how Xander was going to enjoy this.

"She may not be what he called her" his mother said nastily "but she's a disgrace to this family, our good name will be dragged through the mud because of her and her unsavoury boyfriend"

"Unsavoury?" Xander would have laughed if he wasn't so angry "He's the son of a wealthy man same as Angel, not that it matters" he made sure he added that "And falling in love is disgraceful now? Think about what you're saying Mom" he begged her, before adding "that's if you can think at all after all that alcohol"

He didn't see her hand coming, just heard the sound and felt the impact as she slapped him right across the face. He blinked at her, as she covered her mouth with her hand, shocked by her own action.

"Oh Alex" she said, with tears in her eyes "I'm sorry"

"My name isn't Alex" her son told her, feeling less angry and more upset than anything else right now "it's Xander, and your daughter's name is Buffy. If you'd have spent any time with us then you would know that" he said sadly, turning his back on her as he tried to retain his composure.

"I'm sorry" she mumbled again, but it was all too late.

"Do you even care about us at all?" Xander had to ask as he turned back to face her, tears in his eyes as well as hers.

"Of course I do..." she forced out but his anger was fast returning, he was a child again, being ignored by the one person he really needed...

"No, no you really don't, do you?" he said, getting louder again "This is all you care about" he told her, holding up the nearest bottle of spirit "and you can't keep blaming dad..."

"He left me" she interrupted sharply as her son slammed the bottle back down on the table.

"He died Mom" Xander reminded her "Yeah, he left all of us, and when we weren't even seven years old" he choked out, emotions running almost too high to handle "but he never wanted to, you know that" his volume dropped as tried to make her see why he was so upset and why Buffy had not turned out the way she thought "Back then we needed you but you didn't want us, just a few glasses of Smirnoff's finest and you were just great. All that mattered was who we married and how much money we ended up with" he said sadly, watching as she forced back tears and put down the drink that had been in her hand until now.

"Liam was a good match for her" she said, her voice quiet and unsteady. Xander shook his head.

"No, Mom, his money was a good thing for you" he repeated "She doesn't love him, she loves Spike and he loves her. I've never seen her so destroyed as she was when she thought she'd never see him again. I don't think she could live without him now she's found him"

"Don't be ridiculous" Joyce said without thinking, just like she always did. Xander laughed, mostly at her and how ironic it was for her to be calling him ridiculous, when the other way around would be closer to the truth.

"I'm ridiculous now?" he said with a shrug "Well, there are worse things to be" he sighed in defeat, heading for the door. He thought he could get through to her, but clearly she was never going to see what he meant. "You want my advice" he said, turning back from the door briefly "call your daughter and make your peace with her now before it's too late, if you don't, you'll regret it" he didn't quite make it out the door before he decided to add one final thing "Oh and by the way, Willow Rosenburg, y'know the housekeepers daughter?" he asked his shocked mother, who nodded dumbly "I'm in love with her, and one day I might just marry her, with or without your consent. Just thought you might like to know" he ended practically in a whisper as he swept out of the door, slamming it behind him.

On the other side, he took a deep breath and ran a hand over his face. His cheek burned from the slap she'd given him and his eyes stung with unshed tears, but he'd said what needed to be said, and that was all that mattered right now.

"Hey" a voice said off to his side and Xander had never been so pleased to see Willow in his life. He hugged her close, so grateful for her presence in that moment.

"I heard some of what you said" she admitted as they looked at each other, still holding on tightly "Did you mean it?" she had to ask "What you said about loving me and...everything?"

"Every word" he promised her, further proving the sincerity of his affections with a kiss that made her knees go weak.

"So what do you think?" he asked her afterwards "You wanna marry me one day? Even though I might be disinherited as of now" he smiled and rolled his eyes.

"Xander, I never loved you for your money, never" she told him truthfully "And yes, I will marry you, if you want me too" she smiled, practically giddy from the excitement and love she felt.

"Oh Will, I've never wanted anything else so much in my life" her boyfriend told her, right before he kissed her again.

* * * * *

Over at the Giles' residence, Buffy and Spike had finally finished telling his father the entire story of how they met and everything that had happened. From Lady Joyce's drinking to Buffy's escape for what should have been just one night, her engagement to Angel and neither of them ever knowing that the other was of their high social standing. It was a long story full of ups and downs, and they both learned a thing or two about each other too. The most shocked person though had to be Giles.

"My heavens" he commented as he polished his glasses for what must have been the hundredth time "that is quite a tale the pair of you have"

"I can't believe you're allowed to go out the way you do" Buffy said to Spike, having learned that his father allowed him to go out whenever he liked without worrying about a reputation at all.

"I wasn't born into this gig like you were, pet" Spike pointed out "Dad made his millions whilst I was growing up. There was no way I was ever going to be some respectable ponce twenty-four seven!" he looked disugted at the very idea and Giles rolled his eyes at what he believed to be his son's hideous abuse of the English language.

"Indeed" he nodded "I see no reason why William should not be his own person and do what he chooses, just because I was lucky enough to make my fortune"

"I wish my Mom thought the way you do" Buffy told him somewhat sadly. She'd been born and brought up like a lady should be, never being a real child or an average teen. She was almost jealous that Spike had that chance.

"My dear, Miss Summers..." Giles addressed her formally and she giggled.

"Call me Buffy, please" she told him, not wanting to be that lady anymore, and knowing she could be who she really was with these people.

"My dear Buffy" Giles amended "if William cares so very much for you, I have absolutely no problems at all with you staying here as long as you wish" he assured her with a smile "It is not as if we are lacking in space or funds" he pointed out unnecessarily, Buffy had noted for herself that the house was almost as big as her own "but I do think you will have to face your mother at some point" the Englishman reminded her and Buffy nodded.

"I know" she admitted "and thankyou Sir Giles, I appreciate all that you're doing for me. This must seem really crazy to you" she realised.

"Please Buffy, just call me Giles" he corrected her "and in any case I have come to redefine words such as crazy since I fathered this boy" he gestured towards to Spike who made a kind of snorting sound and looked mock-offended.

"If loving her makes me crazy, lock me up now" he declared, "Cos I don't ever want to be sane"

Buffy blushed as he squeezed her hand. It was kind of embarrassing having him say such things in front of Giles, but she did appreciate the sentiment. As impossible as it ought to be, she had fallen in love in such a short time and with someone she hardly knew, but now they had all the time in the world to be together and be happy.

"Well, I think it might perhaps be a good idea if we all got some sleep" Giles pointed out as he glanced at the clock. He stood up as he continued "Buffy, I'll have a spare room made up for you close to William's if you would like"

"Thankyou Giles" she smiled, also standing up and reaching to place a kiss on his cheek "You're very kind" she told him with a smile, which he returned in kind before leaving the two young people alone for a moment.

"I can't believe all this is happening" Buffy shook her head in disbelief at the nights events as Spike stood up beside her.

"Not exactly how I planned my evening either, luv" he admitted, taking her in his arms "Can't tell you how much it hurt when you left me standing behind that cinema" he said, expression almost as pained as it had been then, as his fingers played with her hair.

"I'm sorry" she told him again, knowing how much she had hurt herself and having no doubt it had been just as bad if not worse for him, not knowing why "I never wanted to, but my Mom..." she tried to explain, tears in her eyes that Spike hated to see.

"It's okay, pet" he interrupted "I understand that now, it's just at the time, all I knew was I loved you and I was losing you" he said quietly, looking into her eyes.

"Well, you'll never lose me again" she told him, her hand on his cheek "I promise" she added as he dipped his head and kissed her softly, making her forget, for a while at least, that she would probably have her mother to face in the morning...

To Be Continued...


	20. Mothers Ruin

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A/N : Well, here it is. The end of another fic, and now I have just one left to finish before that awkward time comes and I have to decide which of the many Spuffy ideas in my head deserves to be written! Oh well, let's worry about finishing 'Oh Brother!' first, and before that I think I should talk about the story that this note is actually on! lol. I want to thank everyone who has reviewed this fic, not just on the previous chapter but all the way through on any or all of the nineteen chapters before this one - you guys have been great with all your kind words and often amusing reactions! lol. Well, here's the final chapter and the epilogue - hope you all like it. Final reviews will be very much appreciated! :-)

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(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)

Chapter 20 - Mothers Ruin 

Lady Joyce Summers was not often sober, in fact if you asked any of the people who worked for her they would probably say they had scarce seen her without a glass in her hand since the old Lord passed away, but this particular morning, she was not even slightly tipsy and there was a very good reason why.

Last night should have been her daughters engagement party, a wonderful event telling everyone that mattered about the union between Elizabeth and her young man, Liam O'Connor. What had actually occurred had been a scandalous affair, the result of which was the O'Connor's taking home a bloody-nosed son, Lady Summers daughter fleeing into the night with Liam's attacker, and Lady Joyce's own son, Alexander, telling his mother a few home truths.

All that the boy had said, as drunk as she'd already been by the time the confrontation began, she would never forget as long a she lived. Her children had felt abandoned by her, at a time when they truly needed her the most, following the death of their father. Her son and daughter, whom she didn't even know the preferred names of, and who both fell in love right under nose, and she didn't even notice. What kind of mother was she?

'A good one' she reminded herself as the vodka bottle calling to her from the table finally got the better of her good intentions and she poured herself a glass. She'd only tried to get them well set up in life, married to respectable people with enough money to live on and everything they needed. Perhaps she didn't know everything about them like they seemed to think she should, but Xander and Buffy were ridiculous names, and how dare he want to marry a servant and her marry a delinquent! 

Lady Summers' thoughts got more scrambled and irrational as more alcohol entered her system. She had drunk before because she'd lost her husband, now she was just trying to lose herself, because deep inside she knew she had done wrong. A part of her knew that before the day was out, she would call Elizabeth.

* * * * *

Alexander Summers was not usually found in the staff quarters of his family's residence but today he had someone to see about a very important matter.

"Mrs Rosenburg?" he said as he tapped on the door to the room he was told she would be in.

"Master Alexander" she greeted him with a frown, wondering why he was there "Is there anything wrong?" she asked, standing up from her seat as he came into the room.

"No, complete opposite actually" the young man assured her, gesturing that she should sit down again as he took a seat opposite her "I kind of needed to talk to you about Willow"

"Oh goddess, what has the girl done?" Sheila gasped, obviously terrified that she was about to be fired because of something Willow may have done to cause offence.

"Nothing bad, I promise" Xander smiled, usually he hated striking fear into the hearts of staff, today it was just amusing that this woman really hadn't noticed the****attraction between her daughter and himself "Mrs Rosenburg, I came to ask your consent" he told her "I know this might come as a shock but I'd like to marry your daughter"

There was silence for a moment and Xander wondered if he'd shocked her into a coma or something.

"There must be some mistake, sir" she said finally, looking totally confused.

"Well, I'm not talking like tomorrow or anything" the brunette assured her "but the only mistake here was my not noticing how perfect we were for each other sooner" Sheila still looked uncertain, and so Xander continued "I love her and she loves me and if you'll let me I'd like to marry her one day"

"If you both wish it I could hardly prevent it" the woman shrugged, "but I am a little surprised" she admitted. Xander was expecting that.

"I understand it seems sudden" he nodded "I guess it is a little, but I promise to look after Willow, I really do love her" he stressed yet again, making sure she really understood. He was technically her boss and had a much higher social standing than her, but he still would like to know she approved of his relationship with her daughter.

"I never thought I'd see the day" Sheila smiled "my daughter will be a Lady"

"She's already a lady Mrs Rosenburg" Xander assured her as he stood to leave "she just doesn't have the title yet"

****

* * * * *

****

It had been a very strange last twenty four hours, Buffy thought to herself. She had started out engaged to Angel, wearing an evening gown and drinking punch at her own party. Now less than a day later, she was sitting on a window sill in the Giles' house, wearing one of Spike's T-shirts and a pair of jeans she'd borrowed from one of the young maids, looking out across the town of Sunnydale, so glad about the way things had turned out. The only worry in her mind was her mother and what might happen if she decided to confront her daughter about her behaviour. 

As if the fates knew she wanted to get that particular meeting over with as soon as possible there was a tap on the door and a servant came in.

"Excuse me, Miss" she smiled "Lady Summers is here to see you"

"Oh" was Buffy's only reaction, really wishing that Spike and Giles hadn't had to go to that meeting this morning. They'd be back any moment but she knew she had to face her mother now, and alone it seemed.

"I've shown her to the first sitting room" the maid prompted as Buffy followed her out into the corridor, only to look completely bemused by the huge amount of doors she found "Third door on the right" the maid whispered, gesturing in the right direction and Buffy smiled politely.

"Thankyou" she said as the maid disappeared.

With a deep breath and her head held high, Buffy put her hand on the knob and pushed open the door. Her mothers eyes were immediately on her, scrutinising her, disapproving of her clothes, her behaviour yesterday, her every trait...

"Elizabeth..." the Lady began, trying to be pleasant but not quite managing it.

"That's not my name anymore" Buffy snapped, determined to be strong against her mother whom she had been treated too badly by in the past. If Xander could do it, so could she, and being in this house made it easier. It was more neutral ground, but where she was safe and wanted, she had nothing to fear.

"Buffy" Lady Joyce tried using the nickname her son had told her was more acceptable "Please, listen to me..."

"Why?" her daughter interrupted somewhat loudly "You never listened to me...I wanted to tell you a million times that I was unhappy but I was never sure how you'd react, especially when you'd been drinking" she raved.

"But I..." the Lady tried to explain, but Buffy did not want to hear it as she continued saying all the things she'd always wanted to, with her mother trying to get a word in sideways by also shouting.

* * * * *

Spike had gone looking for Buffy almost as soon as he and his father had returned from their meeting, stopping just vreifly at his own room to change out of the suit hr so despised having to wear on occasion. He asked one of the maids if she knew where Buffy was, and luckily chose the same girl that had received Lady Joyce into the house. She directed him straight to the room where he could find both her and Buffy. He was several feet from the door but he could already hear the yelling. Out of politeness he knocked lightly before entering and found the two women standing a few feet apart, both red faced from shouting, with Buffy close to tears.

"Buffy, you okay, luv?" Spike asked with a frown, coming into the room and going over to her.

"I'm fine, honestly" she promised him, managing a half-smile as he hugged her briefly.

"Lady Summers" he said turning to her as he pulled away from Buffy "I don't believe we've been formerly introduced, my name is William Giles" he told her, holding out a hand.

The Lady nodded, taking the offered hand and looking the bleach blond up and down, trying to hide her distaste at his appearance. He was wearing his black jeans, T-shirt and boots, just as when Buffy first met him

"I'll leave you two ladies alone again, shall I?" he said pleasantly, ignoring the fact that he could tell Lady Joyce did not approve of him. So long as Buffy loved him, he didn't care what her mother or anyone else thought.

"I won't be long" Buffy whispered as he passed her and he smiled from the doorway, right before he left. 

It wasn't that he wanted to eaves-drop on their conversation, but it was all for a good cause really, he told himself as he stood by the door, one ear pressed to the wood. He wanted to be there in case Buffy's mother got nasty with her.

"He seems pleasant" he heard her the Lady say, knowing full well she was lying.

"He's wonderful" Buffy replied "and I love him"

"And he loves you" her mother conceded "or so it would seem...you've made a good match even without my help"

"I hope you're not talking about money again?!" Buffy exploded angrily "Yes, as it turns out, Spike will inherit a fortune too, but the beauty of it is that we fell in love not knowing that about each other" she explained, wishing her mother would understand at least a little "We learnt to love each other as people before money ever came into the equation, but you, you only ever let me talk to rich guys or ones that you knew would inherit a huge fortune one day" she ended sadly, more upset by how her mother had treated her than angry about it.

"I wasn't referring to money Eliz...Buffy" Lady Joyce corrected herself "but as you have brought it up... are you seriously telling me you would have stayed with this boy if he'd have lived in some cheap little apartment on the other side of town, if he'd have been a nobody?"

Spike had almost come bursting in before when Buffy had started getting upset and yelling, but he'd let her go it alone, believing she could handle it. Now was a different matter. The so-called 'Lady' was talking about him and at the same time accusing Buffy of being as shallow as she herself obviously was.

"I would never be nobody" he announced, his sudden appearance in the doorway making both Lady Joyce and Buffy physically jump and turn toward him "because Buffy loves me, and that makes me a somebody if nothing else does" he said as he walked over and put an arm around the blonde's shoulders. She turned to him with a questioning look and he smirked as he whispered in her ear "Eavesdropping is one of my worst habits"

She smiled a little as he squeezed her shoulders and she turned to face her mother.

"And I would love him no matter what" she told her "If we were both to lose every cent we had tomorrow it wouldn't matter"

Lady Joyce's eyes narrowed as she looked at the pair of lovebirds in front of her. To be wrong and to be beaten, two things she hated, but she had been wrong about Buffy and Angel and she'd been beaten in her attempts to make that relationship last.

"You can say that, safe in the knowledge that it will never occur" she sneered.

"We can say that because we both know it's true" Spike snapped "You want proof?" he smiled dangerously, knowing exactly how much he was driving her crazy "Cut off her money" he tilted his head toward Buffy "convince my father to cut off mine. You'll lose a daughter and the possible chance of a son-in-law and maybe grandchildren, but we'll still be happy as we are now...possibly happier, without certain people's interference"

"Buffy?" Lady Joyce looked to her daughter, still hanging onto the final hope that the girl might see sense and choose her family over this boy.

"I don't think we have anything left to say Mother" the girl said sadly, leaning more on Spike and feeling reassured by his arm around her.

As Lady Summers swept out of the room, and the house, and her daughters life, Buffy sighed. It was over now, and she was free.

~The End???~

Not quite...Epilogue is this way ---


	21. Epilogue One NotSoWild Night

Chapter 21/Epilogue - One Not-so-Wild Night

"Hey Willow" Xander called to her as she crossed the main foyer. She blushed the colour of her hair as she turned to look at him.

"Mr Summers" she nodded formally, there were other servants around after all and her mother could walk in at any moment.

"Sweetie, just call me Xander" the brunette half-laughed as he walked over to her, "I have something for you" he said, handing her a large box. The red-head looked a little surprised as she thanked him and opened it up to reveal a beautiful evening dress.

"Oh my God, Xander" she gasped, forgetting her surroundings, "It's beautiful" placing the box on the floor, she flung herself into his arms and hugged him tight.

"It'll be even more beautiful when you're wearing it for our date tonight" he told her and she pulled away to look at him. He looked and sounded completely serious.

"But my Mom..." she began only to be abruptly cut off.

"Your Mom likes me" Xander shrugged, "She even said I could marry you some day" he smiled, eyes twinkling, and Willow could hardly believe what she was being told. It was all too perfect. She hugged him again, til Xander could barely breathe and he gently pushed her away.

"Now, take your dress" he told her, "and go get ready" he smiled, taking her hand and kissing it, "cos tonight, and every day and night after that, I'm gonna treat you like the princess you really are"

* * * * *

Buffy walked down one of the many corridors of the Giles' house, Spike beside her with his arm over her shoulders.

"I'm sorry, luv" he said suddenly and she frowned not understanding.

"For what?" she asked as he stopped walking and turned to face her, looking decidedly guilty. Buffy was starting to worry that he'd done something terrible that she didn't know about, and just when she thought they could be happy too!

"You shouldn't fight with your Mum over me..." he mumbled, hands in his pockets by now, making him look like a little kid who'd been caught by his mother with his hand in the cookie jar 

"It's not you" Buffy told him, putting her hands to his face and making him look at her "it's me, actually, it's mostly her...besides I don't need her, not when she's going to behave like that" she assured him with a shake of her head to emphasise her point "I still have Xander and Willow, and now I have you and Giles too...what more could I want?" she shrugged, her hands dropping to his shoulders as his arms slid around her waist.

"I dunno" he smirked "Maybe a wild night out?" he suggested, making Buffy giggle.

"Actually" she said, looking up into his eyes "y'know I think I'd rather stay in, maybe with a bad movie, the lights out, and a certain gorgeous guy on a couch for two?" she said, leaning in close, her voice getting softer all the time.

"Sounds like a plan, pet" Spike agreed, right before their lips met and they kissed passionately.

Buffy sighed as they parted and turned to walk down the corridor together, his arm over her shoulders again and hers around his waist.

"Y'know" she mused "I think I could really learn to love staying in"

"Yeah, me too, luv" Spike agreed with a smile.

~THE END~


End file.
